Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:39 pm on 7 June 2022.
I thank Jayne Bryant for raising this issue. Llywydd, whilst it's important that we create new green spaces for people to enjoy, it's also important that we protect and enhance existing green spaces too. Now, back in March of this year, revised plans were submitted for a large solar farm on the Gwent levels. This came after the original plans were rejected by the Welsh Government, due to their potential impact on the area, which is of course a site of special scientific interest. Llywydd, we all know that we need more sources of reliable renewable energy, but this mustn't come at any cost, and such developments should, as much as possible, work with nature and the environment rather than potentially being detrimental to them. First Minister, what action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that new developments and infrastructure projects don't unnecessarily reduce the amount and accessibility of green space available to communities? And what consideration have Ministers given to strengthening planning rules to ensure developments are net contributors to the natural environment?