The Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee (the Committee) undertook work on the Welsh Government’s draft National Development Framework (NDF).

The NDF is a spatial planning document which is required under the Planning (Wales) Act 2015 (the Planning Act).

The Planning Act requires the Welsh Ministers to develop a NDF. The NDF sets out a 20 year land use framework and will be reviewed at least every five years. It is a major policy document that sets national spatial policy, directs Strategic Development Plans and Local Development Plans, and informs Welsh Government decision-making on major planning applications.

In August 2019, the Welsh Government published its draft National Development Framework for consultation.

The Committee undertook work on the draft NDF at an early stage, with a view to influencing its content, and informing future consideration of the draft by the Senedd.

Following the Welsh Government’s consultation, and in line with the requirements in the Planning Act, the draft NDF was laid before the Senedd for consideration for a 60 day period (‘the Senedd consideration period’) before it was finalised.

The Welsh Government laid the second iteration of the draft NDF before the Senedd on 21 September 2020, along with the following documents:

·         Schedule of changes to the draft National Development Framework

·         Integrated Sustainability Appraisal of the National Development Framework

·         Integrated Sustainability Appraisal of the National Development Framework: non-technical summary

·         Wales National Development Framework – Habitats Regulations Assessment

·         Draft National Development Framework: Consultation Report (full)

·         Draft National Development Framework:  Consultation Report: Summary

A copy of the draft NDF which incorporates the proposed changes can be found on the Welsh Government’s website.

The Planning Act sets out the following provisions that relate to the NDF:

·         Section 3(4) requires Welsh Ministers to have regard to any resolution passed by the Senedd in Plenary and any recommendation made by a Senedd committee during the 60 day scrutiny period.

·         After the 60 day consideration period has ended, the Welsh Ministers may publish a final, unamended version of the NDF. However, if the Welsh Ministers decide to amend the draft NDF, they may lay before the Senedd an amended draft of the NDF and publish it.

·         If the Senedd or any of its committees has agreed any resolution or made any recommendations during the consideration period, the Welsh Ministers must, not later than the day on which the NDF is published, lay a statement explaining how they have had regard to each resolution or recommendation.

Evidence gathering

The Committee considered written submissions and heard oral evidence from stakeholders during meetings on 24 October 2019, 6 November 2019 and 14 November 2019 to inform its work on the draft NDF.

To inform its work on the second iteration of the draft NDF the Committee invited written submissions and heard oral evidence from

stakeholders during meetings on 15 October 2020 and 5 November 2020.

First Committee Report:

The Committee published its report on the first draft National Development Framework (PDF 1MB) on 13 December 2019.

The Welsh Government responded (PDF 353KB) on 29 January 2020 and provided a further response on 21 September 2020 (PDF 536KB)

Second Committee Report:

The Committee considered the proposed changes to the draft NDF and reported to the Senedd before the end of the 60 day period.

The Committee published its report on the second iteration of the draft National Development Framework: Future Wales: The National Plan (PDF 396KB) on 23 November 2020.

On 24 February 2021 the Minister for Housing and Local Government wrote (PDF 322KB) to the Chair to inform him that she had published the Welsh Government’s National Development Framework ‘Future Wales – The National Plan 2040’ and laid a Statement in the Senedd (PDF 861KB) responding to the Committee’s recommendations.