Protecting Ancient Woodlands

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Climate Change – in the Senedd at 2:09 pm on 21 September 2022.

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Photo of Lee Waters Lee Waters Labour 2:09, 21 September 2022

Well, I think it is difficult when local authorities have given planning permission, and, as you said, it was some time ago. You'd like to think that, given the policy framework I've set out, that wouldn't happen if planning permission was given freshly today. What we can do retrospectively obviously is a more complex question, and certainly one I'd encourage him to engage in a conversation with his own council on Ynys Môn about. And we'd certainly be open to a conversation. These are delicate judgments, aren't they? But I think the problem that we all face is that developers can often make exceptional arguments in particular cases, but the cumulative impact is a considerable one, and we are facing not only a climate emergency but a nature emergency too. When it comes to individual decisions, these are often complex and sometimes opaque. So, I'm afraid I don't have a glib answer for him today, other than that I think he raises a set of reasonable points that we do need to reflect on with the local authority to see what the options might be.