Planning is a devolved matter in Wales – meaning that Wales has its own primary planning legislation (the Planning (Wales) Act 2015), and that local planning authorities in Wales must comply with the plans and policies set by the Welsh Government.

Nextdoor Nature brought Swansea communities together to help nature flourish! Over the course of two years our goal was to create sustainable and impactful community action for wildlife in Swansea - empowering local people through community organising.

Applications for some large infrastructure projects are decided by Welsh Ministers instead of the local planning authority. These include energy projects, roads, railways and airports, dams and reservoirs and certain waste facilities, subject to various thresholds, and are called Developments of National Significance (DNS).

Building with wildlife in mind can have big benefits for people as well – research has shown that contact with nature is good for our health and wellbeing. Green spaces can also improve air quality, lower flood risk and provide places for the local community to come together.

Beavers will help nature recover in Wales!
Beavers are very special animals because they play a vital role in restoring and managing river and wetland ecosystems. This creates diverse habitats for other species to thrive, benefiting a wide range of other animals and plants. Beavers are often referred to as a ‘keystone species’ or ‘nature’s engineers’ because of the positive impact they can have on the environment.

Larger and more complex developments are usually decided by the planning committee. Each local planning authority will have its own rules as to which applications will be decided by the planning committee (called the scheme of delegation). You can find out if an application is going to be decided by committee by looking at the application information or by asking the case officer.