Planning Applications for Housing Developments

Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 2:10 pm on 29 November 2017.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:10, 29 November 2017

Thank you. Presiding Officer, if I could just take the opportunity—the first example Mark Isherwood gave was in my constituency, but obviously this decision was taken by the First Minister, not by me. 

In relation to the general point you raise about TAN 1, it is a very difficult situation if the five-year land supply isn't demonstrated, and certainly it's happening not just in north-east Wales, and north Wales, as you referred to, it's happening in other local authorities too. Unfortunately, if a local planning authority hasn't got a five-year housing land supply, they are open to speculative planning applications for housing development. However, all such applications should be assessed against all relevant policy considerations, including the need to increase housing land supply, and the principle of sustainable development. That was the point I was trying to make.