Planning (Wales) Act 2015

6 Preparing and revising strategic development plans

In PCPA 2004, after section 60H (as inserted by section 5) insert—

“60I Strategic development plan

(1) A strategic planning panel must prepare a plan for its strategic planning area, to be known as a strategic development plan.

(2) The plan must set out—

(a) the panel’s objectives in relation to the development and use of land in its area;

(b) the panel’s policies for the implementation of those objectives.

(3) A strategic development plan must be in general conformity with the National Development Framework for Wales.

(4) The plan must specify the period for which it is to have effect.

(5) The Welsh Ministers may by regulations make provision about—

(a) the period that may be specified under subsection (4);

(b) the form and content of the plan.

(6) In preparing a strategic development plan, the strategic planning panel must have regard to—

(a) current national policies;

(b) the National Development Framework for Wales;

(c) the strategic development plan for any strategic planning area that adjoins the panel’s area;

(d) the local development plan for each area all or part of which is included in the panel’s area;

(e) the resources likely to be available for implementing the strategic development plan;

(f) any other matters prescribed by the Welsh Ministers in regulations.

(7) The panel must also—

(a) carry out an appraisal of the sustainability of the plan;

(b) prepare a report of the findings of the appraisal.

(8) The appraisal must include an assessment of the likely effects of the plan on the use of the Welsh language in the strategic planning area.

(9) A plan is a strategic development plan only in so far as it is—

(a) adopted by resolution of the strategic planning panel as a strategic development plan, or

(b) approved by the Welsh Ministers under section 65 or 71 (as they apply by virtue of section 60J).

(10) The plan ceases to be a strategic development plan on the expiry of the period specified under subsection (4).

60J Strategic development plan: application of provisions of this Part

(1) The provisions specified in subsection (3) apply in relation to a strategic development plan as they apply in relation to a local development plan.

(2) Accordingly, where a provision specified in subsection (3) confers power for the Welsh Ministers to make provision by regulations in respect of a local development plan, that power is also exercisable so as to make provision in respect of a strategic development plan.

(3) The provisions are sections 63 to 68, 68A(1), 69 to 71, 73 and 75 to 77.

(4) In those provisions as they apply by virtue of subsection (1)—

(a) references to a local planning authority are to be construed as references to a strategic planning panel;

(b) references to a local development plan are to be construed as references to a strategic development plan.

(5) In section 64(5)(a) as it applies by virtue of this section, the reference to section 62 is to be construed as a reference to section 60I.

(6) In section 77(2)(a) as it applies by virtue of this section, the reference to section 62(6) is to be construed as a reference to section 60I(7).”