The Planning (Wales) Act 2015 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is the second Commencement Order made by the Welsh Ministers under the Planning (Wales) Act 2015 (“the 2015 Act”).

Articles 2 and 3 of the Order bring the following sections of the 2015 Act into force on 4 January 2016:

• section 3 (preparing and revising the National Development Framework for Wales) so far as it substitutes section 60 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 with new sections 60, 60A and 60B;

• section 11 (Welsh language);

• section 12 (period for which local development plan has effect);

• section 13 (withdrawal of local development plan);

• section 14 (Welsh Ministers’ power to direct preparation of joint local development plan); and

• section 31 (Welsh language).

Article 4 of the Order brings the following sections of the 2015 Act into force on 16 March 2016:

• section 15(1) and (2) (joint planning boards: functions relating to surveys and local development plans);

• section 40 (joint planning boards to be hazardous substances authorities);

• section 41 (power to make provision enabling joint planning boards to exercise development management functions in National Parks); and

• section 42 (joint planning boards: power to make consequential and supplementary provision).

Article 5 of the Order brings the following sections of the 2015 Act into force on 1 April 2016:

• section 2 (sustainable development); and

• section 15(3) (joint planning boards: functions relating to surveys and local development plans).

Articles 6 and 7 of the Order set out the transitional and saving arrangements that apply to the commencement of the provisions in articles 2, 3(a) and 5(a).