5. How is the Welsh Government making the planning process in north-east Wales more responsive to residents? OQ56389

Thank you, Jack. National planning policy, 'Future Wales' and local development plans collectively create a framework to ensure that communities are able to effectively and meaningfully engage in proposals that impact on their areas. LDPs have several statutory and informal stages where communities can directly shape and influence the future of their locality.  

Minister, thank you for that answer. Can I thank you and your Deputy Minister for meeting with myself and Penyffordd Community Council at the beginning of the year? I think what is clear is that the council and the community—the residents within the community of Penyffordd—and with justification, I might say, feel let down by the Planning Inspectorate for Wales. Despite significant projects being passed by the inspectorate, local politicians and residents in the community don't even get the courtesy of a reply. So, with that in mind, Minister, what consideration have you given to reforming how the Planning Inspectorate operates, to ensure that the voices of communities like Penyffordd are listened to?

Thank you, Jack. It was a pleasure to meet with you and the community council alongside Hannah Blythyn. It was a very useful and lively conversation, I'm sure you remember, about how local people—and community councils in particular—can have their voices effectively heard in the planning process. So, I was delighted to take on board much of what they said, and I'm also very pleased to say that Flintshire local development plan, which we were discussing on that occasion, has now resolved to submit their plan for examination. The hearing sessions are due to commence in April. I know that the community council will be taking the opportunity to make their voice heard once more in that process, which of course is the entire point.

In terms of the inspectorate, you will know that we wanted to sever the Welsh element of the inspectorate away from the England and Wales inspectorate overall, for a variety of reasons—not least that we would like them to be able to look more carefully at the policies that we would like to see implemented in Wales. Unfortunately, the pandemic has got in the way of us being able to do that, but I am very much looking forward to getting that plan back on track when we have a Welsh Government immediately after the election. I know that you are working towards that aim as well.