During a Welsh Conservative-led debate on planning yesterday, Cllr Janet Finch-Saunders AM called for reforms to simplify the planning system and make it more community-focused.

The UK government’s draft reforms to the planning framework have gained support from the National Association of Local Councils for their aim to ‘empower communities’ and for local councils to ‘shape the areas in which they live’.

The Welsh Local Government Association have called for reforms to the Welsh planning system, highlighting the need for a ‘process that is more flexible to changing economic and social factors’.

Janet said: “The Welsh planning system must be more flexible and responsive to local need, particularly when it comes to Local Development Plans (LDPs).”

“My Local Authority of Conwy is a perfect example of the failings of the current Welsh system with regards to LDPs.

“Last month, Conwy County Borough Council held a special meeting to discuss the housing projection figures of their LDP. These figures are not in line with current trends.

“There have been mixed messages sent out from the Welsh Government. Throughout the many meetings I have attended concerning the Conwy LDP, the strong message from the Welsh Government has been that they would reject a lower figure. Yet, in June this year, the First Minister said that Local Authorities are responsible for the housing allocations in their own LDPs.

“The Welsh Government must make their mind up. I certainly know what we want: we want the same as the WLGA, as the local councils and the residents of the communities affected – we want less bureaucracy and red tape, and a flexible system that can respond to local needs.”