, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Net-zero Commitments
Do you know what? It's not often I say this, but I would like to thank the Minister for this and for opening her statement by agreeing with some points made by the Prime Minister in his net-zero announcement of 20 September. You note that the Prime Minister…
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
I'd like to request a statement by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change on the devastating impacts of the 20 mph law on bus services in Wales. I've had a letter from Arriva and they've written with huge concerns. They've previously discussed the challenges…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Thanks.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Yes. Do you have any specific comments on the provisions in the Bill relating to compulsory purchase?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay. Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
So, we also received suggestions that there should be—thank you, by the way—statutory time frames for each stage of the process, as in the Planning Act 2008, including for validating applications. What are your views on this?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
And it's been suggested to the committee that the Minister should make a statement to the Senedd on each occasion that they intend to extend the deadline for determining an application, as is the case in England. Do you agree with this?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Thank you, Chair. The committee received mixed views on the 52-week statutory time frame for deciding applications. Some respondents were concerned it could slow down decisions on smaller projects, and others said it wasn't long enough for more complex…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
—and that's a big worry, even in small schemes.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Don't get me going on that. So many times that—[Interruption.] No, I'll just raise—[Interruption.] If I can just make the point that the enforcement doesn't happen any more. Certainly, you know, they haven't got the resources now, the local authorities, to…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Exactly right. And, of course, for me, it's always—it's made me rather interested that you have NRW, who issue marine licences, and then they are the enforcement body. I've always found that, you know, at odds. I've put loads of questions in over the years…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Thank you. Very interesting questions there. You say in your paper that while the number of enforcement cases is expected to be low, you're concerned about the technical and resourcing requirements should LPAs be required to carry out enforcement. Could you…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
This was more than perception.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Because local authorities are very stretched, and have been for a number of years, I've actually witnessed first-hand where a local authority has been almost supporting the big development and trying to get on with it because there's a community benefit tied…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Having attended one or two planning hearings and inspections and things, it has always galled me, particularly in housing developments, where the developer turns up, probably with the best barrister in the country, and then anyone fighting the other side, be…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Thank you. This is to the RTPI. You highlight in your paper that Planning and Environment Decisions Wales, PEDW, will have all costs reimbursed, but that local planning authorities will only have costs associated with local impact reports reimbursed, and no…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Natural Resources Wales and the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales
The committee has received mixed views on the 52-week statutory time frame for deciding applications. Some respondents were concerned it could slow down decisions on smaller projects, whilst others said it wasn't long enough for more complex projects, and…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Natural Resources Wales and the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales
So, respondents to our consultation generally support the infrastructure categories included in the Bill, although some have commented that energy storage and hydrogen projects could also be included. I suppose I was quite surprised that they weren't. What…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Natural Resources Wales and the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales
Okay.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Natural Resources Wales and the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales
Okay, thank you. And you say—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Natural Resources Wales and the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales
Yes, thank you. Last week, the local planning authorities told us they were concerned about the impact the enforcement requirements of the Bill would have on them, and mainly talked about lack of skills. Because I pointed out that we need 120 planners, I…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Natural Resources Wales and the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales
Thank you. Can I just ask, what's PEDW?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Natural Resources Wales and the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales
NRW, you say in your paper: 'The framework nature of the Bill does make it challenging to review and understand the full implications to NRW’s statutory functions.' Could you expand on that, please? [Interruption.] Oh, sorry.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Natural Resources Wales and the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales
Thank you. Good morning. The Minister has argued the balance is right between what's on the face of the Bill—I'm trying to look here—and what's left to subordinate legislation, because it allows for necessary flexibility. Do you agree with that assessment…
