Opposition to Welsh Government Planning Bill grows

Opponents of the Welsh Government’s Planning Bill are meeting today (12 Dec) in the Welsh town of Rhayader (Welsh: Rhaeadr Gwy) to organise a nationwide campaign against proposed legislation that will damage local communities and the Welsh language. A number of groups are forming an alliance over concerns that the Bill will see more centralised decision-making. This in turn will lead to big new housing developments that will fail to protect Welsh speaking areas.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, the Welsh Language Society, has published an alternative Planning and Property Bill, which includes proposals to make the language a material consideration in the planning system, establish a statutory system of language impact assessments, and setting housing targets by local authorities based on local needs. They also point out that there is currently an over-supply of housing that is not affordable for local people and this is having a damaging effect on the Welsh language at a community level. Eight council leaders have now supported a number of the groups demands. The Welsh Local Government Association has also acknowledged the importance of including the Welsh language in the legislation.