2. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the cabinet for the Cardiff capital region with regard to a strategic development plan for south-east Wales? OAQ52154

Ministers and officials have met representatives from the Cardiff capital region cabinet several times since October 2015 to promote the preparation of a strategic development plan for the south-east of Wales. The next step now is that the cabinet must identify a responsible authority so that formal preparation of the plan for the region can begin. 

On 27 April, elected representatives of the Cardiff capital region wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs and said they firmly believe that the best opportunity to deliver positive planning outcomes and deliver the transformational change is to prepare a strategic development plan for the region that is genuinely a regional plan, based on regional evidence, rather than a plan that simply knits together existing local development plans. They added that if the Welsh Government continues to force all seven local planning authorities with the 2021 planned expiry date to review their LDPs, there will not be sufficient resource within the region to progress the SDP and this opportunity will be lost for many years. Basically, what they're saying is that we need to move ahead with the strategic development plan, and we can't then review LDPs in the depth that the Government wants with those resources. There's a choice to be made, and I urge the Government to back a strategic development plan for south-east Wales. 

First of all, we want to see a strategic development plan, but it's hugely important that there are LDPs in place because if LDPs run past their expiry date, if I can put it that way, then, of course, often you can get uncontrolled development because applications will come in in the absence of a development plan. We want to see a strategic development plan, but the ball is in the court of the region. They must identify a responsible authority now, and then, of course, we can commence the process. We want to work with them to develop a strategic development plan. That is, by far, the most sensible approach—he has said it himself in this Chamber—but it is important now that they do identify which authority is going to be responsible for its development. 

First Minister, any plan to secure the maximum economic benefit from the Cardiff capital region must include a relief road for the M4. I have been contacted by a number of business owners who have expressed their dismay that the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, and your potential successor, recently appeared to pour cold water on the proposed black route. As one business owner said,

'This is not a picture of Wales open for business.'

First Minister, in your Government's discussion with the Cardiff capital region cabinet, have you committed, and will you continue to commit, to building a relief road for the M4 in or around Newport please?

Well, first of all, I think it's only fair to point out the context in which the comments were made by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance. He was saying quite properly that cost is clearly an issue. Of course it is. He would not be acting in his role as Cabinet Secretary for Finance if he didn't point that out. And that is an issue, but not the only issue, of course, that will need to be considered. Now, just to remind Members, what will happen is that when the planning inspector's report is received—we expect in the summer or the early autumn—that will be the time to give consideration to that report, and a decision will then be taken as to which route is the way ahead. What we do know is that the congestion will not improve in the Brynglas tunnels—that much is, to me, obvious. But I have to keep an open mind on which route should be taken forward because I will be the person taking the decision. And so, when the inspector's report arrives on my desk, that and any other relevant considerations will form part of my thinking.