The Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2006

Title, commencement and application

1.—(1) The title of this Order is the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2006.

(2) This Order comes into force on 30 June 2007.

(3) This Order applies in relation to Wales.

Amendment of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995

2.  The Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995(1) is amended in accordance with article 3 of this Order.

Amendments relating to access statements

3.—(1) After article 4C (design and access statements) insert—

“Access statements:Wales

4D.— (1) This article applies to an application for planning permission which is not an application for planning permission for—

(a) engineering or mineral operations;

(b) development of an existing dwelling-house, or development within the curtilage of such a dwelling-house for any purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwelling-house as such; or

(c) a material change in the use of land or buildings provided that the new use:

(i) will not necessitate access by an employee, or

(ii) does not involve the provision of services to the public or to a section of the public, with or without payment.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(c)(ii) “the provision of services” includes the provision of any goods or facilities.

(3) An application for planning permission to which this article applies must be accompanied by a statement (“an access statement”) explaining how issues relating to access to the development have been dealt with.

(4) An access statement must explain—

(a) the policy or approach adopted as to access and how policies relating to access in the development plan(2) have been taken into account;

(b) how any specific issues which might affect access to the development have been addressed; and

(c) how features which ensure access to the development will be maintained.”

(2) In paragraph (4)(a) of article 25 (register of applications), after “thereto” insert “and of any accompanying access statement provided in accordance with article 4D”.

Signed on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales under section 66(1) of the Government of Wales Act 1998(3)

D. Elis-Thomas

The Presiding Officer of the National Assembly

12 December 2006