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.

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.

You can help wildlife and nature recovery by actively participating in the planning system. Rather than only reacting to potentially damaging planning applications, it’s more effective to change the policies that govern planning decisions.

Most local authorities will provide plans and other documents for a planning application online. If not, you can ask the local planning authority to send you copies. Read everything thoroughly. If you don’t understand something, you can ask the case officer or look at Planning Aid Wales.

The Wildlife Trusts believe that development should not come at the expense of our natural environment. All development, be it housing, commercial or infrastructure must be designed and delivered in a way that contributes to nature’s recovery, not its decline.