25 September 2023 , Petitions Committee
Evidence session - P-06-1307 The Welsh Government should commit to the adoption of the maintenance of new housing estates by local authorities
… most of the services run, but, then, the main area that we are talking about is the public open space , and that is a specific requirement of planning permission. I think it's worth noting that the type … public open space has changed over the years, and it varies, depending on the size of the development, between informal, formal play areas and different types of open space . From a developer's point of view, their starting …
23 October 2023 , Petitions Committee
Evidence session - P-06-1307 The Welsh Government should commit to the adoption of the maintenance of new housing estates by local authorities
… for inviting me here today. This isn't a new phenomenon, as such. There have been privately maintained open spaces in residential developments for decades in the UK, particularly more so around flatted development or leasehold development, where … quite often there is a maintenance charge associated that looks to maintain incidental or open spaces . What we are finding now is that there is more of a desire from larger private developers to seek to create management …
11 December 2023 , Petitions Committee
P-06-1307 The Welsh Government should commit to the adoption of the maintenance of new housing estates by local authorities
… and developers to not only look after establishing woodlands on new-build sites, but also to adopt amenity open space as well. And that amenity open space 30 years ago doesn't really bear that much resemblance … amenity open space on residential sites now. Public open spaces on residential sites is becoming more complex; it's being loaded with lots of additional features. So, back in the 1990s, it was usually just amenities, grass, trees …
31 March 2025 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Group 6: Unrecorded public rights of way (Amendment 22)
… longer of practical utility or benefit. Members will recall that, during Stage 1, you received evidence from the Open Spaces Society. The society wanted to see a repeal of sections 53 to 56 of the Countryside and Rights … did not object. Amendment 22 will achieve that, and I hope Members now support its inclusion. In the Open Spaces Society response to our draft Bill, it also recommended we consider the repeal in relation to Wales …
11 December 2023 , Petitions Committee
P-06-1307 The Welsh Government should commit to the adoption of the maintenance of new housing estates by local authorities
… contract with the house builder to eventually take access and ownership or a long-term lease on those open spaces , so we know what's going to be coming to us, and so the residents, when they buy … explain that process as clearly as we can, and they include plans showing exactly where all the open spaces are located on the site, obviously, and then also an indication of where their property is on the site …
11 December 2023 , Petitions Committee
P-06-1307 The Welsh Government should commit to the adoption of the maintenance of new housing estates by local authorities
… Greenbelt, we look after all the open spaces on your housing developments, straight from the point of when they are constructed and established by the house builder. We look after them with a long-term view. We take … ownership, or a long-term lease of open space areas and there's a mechanism in place for contributions by all the home owners on that development to fund the open spaces that are established on there …
3 February 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government: More Homes
… the statement earlier was Cosmeston Farm and the 576 new homes. That will include a new primary school, open space , active travel, and that will create a comprehensive and sustainable community. That's what we want to see … pressures on them will be very much in other people's minds. Linking those with primary schools, those open spaces , to create a sustainable community is really important, and that's a good example that's happening …
17 September 2025 , Plenary
Debate on the Petitions Committee Report, 'P-06-1307 The Welsh Government should commit to the adoption of the maintenance of new housing estates by local authorities'
… can read in the petition report how house builders who have built and paid for the public open spaces are being required to cover the costs of maintaining them for over 30 years and cover the costs … also why, again stated in the report, local authorities are issuing more supplementary planning guidance relating to open spaces , stating that the council will not adopt it because it is for the developer providing it to put forward …
22 October 2026 , Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Follow-up inquiry into Empty Properties: Evidence session 4
… have primary schools, have transport, have infrastructure around them, so we don't need to build on green open space as well. If we look at the timescale to bring those back into use, even …
13 January 2025 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Evidence session with the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery on the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill
… self-evidently the case. So, my question to you, Counsel General, is this: what's happened with the Open Spaces Society? It seems to me, I have to say, when I was reading through the responses, the Open …
25 September 2023 , Petitions Committee
Evidence session - P-06-1307 The Welsh Government should commit to the adoption of the maintenance of new housing estates by local authorities
… apparatus or structures including their surface areas and standoff zones that have a primary function that is not open space .' So, they are requiring open space with play equipment in, but then they won't adopt the play …
27 February 2023 , Petitions Committee
Evidence session - P-06-1307 The Welsh Government should commit to the adoption of the maintenance of new housing estates by local authorities
… this petition, except a bit stronger. That petition was to 'Require local authorities to adopt all Public Open Space and roads on estates'. The UK Government responded that they were minded to look into this as an issue … discuss. But this is what the UK Government said: ‘A requirement on local authorities to adopt public open spaces on private estates would constitute a significant new burden and arrangements already exist to provide for upkeep …
14 July 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
… important tool in helping community groups to buy places like pubs, but also like schools, shops, open spaces and other places in towns and villages, and indeed in our cities. It protects places that make our communities special …
5 February 2026 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Follow-up inquiry on social housing supply: Evidence session 3
… some point, or you start going on about, 'Well, which is the better use? That piece of public open space that isn't particularly well used—would it be better used for housing?' The minute you put …
3 February 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government: More Homes
… with 219 set to be available for social rent. The development will also include a new primary school, open space and an active travel route, creating a comprehensive, sustainable community. I'm pleased to announce that an additional …
29 January 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
… the new stations that we have built, you'll find that it has been built to create clear, open spaces , not nooks and crannies where people can hide, very good lighting, lots of visible closed-circuit television—albeit …
20 January 2026 , Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
… infrastructure at the former Coed Ely colliery and coking works, delivering new highways, utilities, drainage, landscaping and public open space to unlock the site for employment use …
17 December 2025 , Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Children's access to play
… and taking forward action plans, and, as Lee Waters and Mike Hedges both pointed out, this also includes open spaces not necessarily designated as parks or play areas. We're also increasing opportunities to play during the school …
17 December 2025 , Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Children's access to play
… planning gain is put in, and there's a requirement on the developer, then, to bring forward an open space or a play area. But we know so often—and I know from my own experience through casework …
17 December 2025 , Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Children's access to play
… not there. They don't have to be particular designed play areas for children, but there should be open space where children can be free to use their own imagination and create their own places. Those are all …