The Town and Country Planning (Strategic Development Plan) (Wales) Regulations 2021

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Section 60M(1) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires a corporate joint committee, to which Part 6 of that Act applies by virtue of regulations made under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, to prepare a strategic development plan (“SDP”) for its area.

These Regulations make provision for the preparation and revision of an SDP and associated matters.

Part 1 deals with general matters, including the application of these Regulations, the interpretation of various expressions and the use of electronic communications.

Part 2 deals with the preparation and revision of an SDP, and makes provision in respect of matters including the—

• provision of documentation and the identification of consultation bodies (Chapter 1),

• delivery agreement (Chapter 2),

• form and content of an SDP and associated matters (Chapter 3),

• pre-deposit procedure, which involves the formulation of proposals in respect of an SDP and consultation and engagement in respect of those proposals (Chapter 4),

• deposit procedure, in accordance with which the corporate joint committee must deposit its proposals for an SDP for the purpose of further consultation (Chapter 5),

• independent examination of the SDP by a person appointed by the Welsh Ministers (Chapter 6),

• Welsh Ministers’ powers of intervention (Chapter 7),

• withdrawal of an SDP (Chapter 8), and

• adoption of an SDP by the corporate joint committee and approval by the Welsh Ministers (Chapter 9).

Part 3 deals with the steps that must be taken following revocation of an SDP.

Part 4 makes provision for the review of an SDP every six years.

Part 5 deals with the content and publication of an annual monitoring report.

Part 6 provides for requirements as to the availability of documents.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has not been prepared as to the likely cost and benefit of complying with these Regulations.