The Welsh Ministers may direct two or more planning authorities to prepare a joint local development plan for their areas.

A direction under subsection (1) may not be given to a National Park authority.

If the Welsh Ministers give a direction, they must state their reasons for doing so.

The authorities to which the direction is given must comply with it.

Two or more planning authorities may, in the absence of a direction to any of them under subsection (1), agree to prepare a joint local development plan for their areas.

This Part applies in relation to a joint local development plan as it applies in relation to any other local development plan.

Anything that must be done by or in relation to a planning authority in connection with a local development plan must be done by or in relation to each of the authorities mentioned in subsection (1) or (5) in connection with a joint local development plan.

In this section and section 37, “joint local development plan” means a local development plan prepared jointly by two or more planning authorities.