Planning (Wales) Act 2026

14 Procedure for preparation and publication of Framework

(1) Before publishing the National Development Framework for Wales, the Welsh Ministers must—

(a) prepare a draft of the Framework,

(b) carry out an appraisal of the sustainability of the policies set out in the draft, and

(c) carry out consultation in accordance with the statement of public participation.

(2) In preparing the draft of the Framework, the Welsh Ministers must have regard to the most recent sustainable land management report published under section 6 of the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023 (asc 4).

(3) The appraisal under subsection (1)(b) must include an assessment of the likely effects of the policies in the draft on the use of the Welsh language.

(4) If, after complying with subsection (1), the Welsh Ministers wish to proceed with the draft of the Framework (with or without changes), they must lay before Senedd Cymru—

(a) the draft, and

(b) a report that—

(i) summarises the representations they received during the consultation carried out under subsection (1)(c), and

(ii) explains how they have taken the representations into account.

(5) The Welsh Ministers must have regard to—

(a) any resolution passed by Senedd Cymru in relation to the draft of the Framework during the Senedd consideration period, and

(b) any recommendation made by a committee of the Senedd in relation to the draft during that period.

(6) After the Senedd consideration period ends, the Welsh Ministers—

(a) may publish the National Development Framework for Wales in the terms of the draft laid under subsection (4), or

(b) if they propose to make changes to that draft, may—

(i) lay before Senedd Cymru an amended draft of the Framework, and

(ii) publish the National Development Framework for Wales in the terms of the amended draft.

(7) If a resolution was passed or a recommendation was made as mentioned in subsection (5), the Welsh Ministers must also, not later than the day the Framework is published, lay before Senedd Cymru a statement explaining how they have had regard to the resolution or recommendation.

(8) In this section “the Senedd consideration period” means 60 days beginning with the day a draft of the Framework is laid before Senedd Cymru under subsection (4), not counting any time when the Senedd is dissolved or is in recess for more than 4 days.