Current planning issues in Wales
This week, NFU Cymru President Abi Reader and NFU Cymru Rural Affairs Board Chair Gary Yeomans met with Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, Siân Gwenllian MS, and her officials, where they presented a paper setting out the current planning issues farmers in Wales are experiencing.
The document, drawn together by NFU Cymru's Rural Affairs Board, also contained a series of key asks to achieve a fit for purpose planning system for the future. The paper calls for:
• The planning system to underpin Wales' food security, economy, jobs, language, and culture and recognise that the delivery of key public goods, such as improved water quality and storage, decarbonisation and nature objectives are reliant on viable farm businesses.
• A more enabling planning system for on-farm development, including:
extending the remit and modernising permitted development.
removing planning barriers for developments that are needed to meet regulatory requirements; and,
lower fees or exemptions from fees for developments that deliver public goods for society.
• The performance of local planning authorities and statutory consultees to be improved through the establishment of consistent national guidance and shared best practice with a requirement for co-ordinated, single responses from statutory consultees such as NRW.
• Responses from statutory consultees to be received within the statutory timeframe.
Critical role in the planning system
NFU Cymru Rural Affairs Board Chairman Gary Yeomans said: "An enabling planning system is essential if farmers in Wales are to be able to invest in new, more modern and efficient buildings and on-farm infrastructure, including those which improve environmental performance, animal welfare standards or are simply required in order to meet regulatory standards. At the same time, new homes are needed to facilitate farm business succession and to keep young people in the countryside, whilst the planning system also needs to support on-farm diversification and energy generation.
"We see a critical role for the planning system in improving the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of rural Wales, however, all too often the planning system is cited by our members as a barrier to on-farm development. NFU Cymru's Rural Affairs board has identified planning reform as a priority workstream to examine and address these issues. We want to work with the Welsh Government to develop a planning system which is fit for purpose and responsive to rural needs."
Long-standing issues relating to poultry units
During the course of the meeting, NFU Cymru raised with the Cabinet Minister long-standing issues relating to poultry units in Wales, which has seen planning applications called in by the previous Welsh Government and which remain stuck in the system. Although there is strong consumer demand for poultry meat and eggs, these issues are preventing essential investment in infrastructure.
NFU Cymru President Abi Reader said: "These delays are adding to costs, hitting sector confidence, and causing considerable stress and worry for our members. We have asked the Cabinet Minister that these cases are addressed at the earliest opportunity."
Concluding, NFU Cymru President Abi Reader said: “It is clear that reform is needed so that the planning system becomes more consistent, responsive, proportionate and enabling. I am most grateful to the Cabinet Minister for meeting with us to discuss our members' experiences and it was encouraging to hear her re-state the Welsh Government’s commitment to reform the planning system. Without meaningful reform, planning will continue to hinder farm productivity, regulatory compliance, and rural prosperity and so we look forward to working with the Welsh Government over the coming months as they review the planning system."
