Wales planning news, March 2019

The Welsh Government has published its 2018-based national and regional estimates of overall housing needs in Wales. The estimates, which cover the period 2018/19 to 2037/38, will be used to inform emerging policy decisions for the National Development Framework (due to be published in 2020) and future Strategic Development Plans.

During the first five years (2018/19 to 2023/24) the national “central estimates” indicate a need for 8,300 additional dwellings per annum (dpa) (including an allowance for existing unmet need); this need decreases to an average of 3,600 dpa during the last five years (2033/34 to 2037/38). This slowing rate of growth mirrors that contained in the 2014-based household projections, which form the basis for the assessment. By comparison, the previous estimates published by the Public Policy Institute for Wales for the Welsh Government in October 2015 indicated a need for 8,700 dpa from 2011 to 2031.

For the first time, the housing estimates take account of “existing unmet need” (i.e. existing households without a home of their own), but only for the first five years of the 20-year period. The Welsh Government has acknowledged that the identified level of existing unmet need ‘provides an incomplete picture […] and is likely to be an undercount’. It has stated that unmet need figures will be updated alongside a review of the overall estimates but has not provided a timescale for this.  

Further details about the estimates and the underlining methodology can be found in this Lichfields blog.

Hannah Blythyn, Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government has announced £4m of additional funding for the Town Centre Loans fund, bringing the total fund to £31m. 

The Town Centre Loans fund are part of the Welsh Government’s regeneration strategy, which is set to provide £800m of investment between 2014 and 2023.

Hannah Blythyn commented:

“Once the Town Centre Loan is repaid, the money is used again to fund new loans, to bring empty and derelict sites back into use, help businesses to grow and prosper, and support activities that increase footfall on our high streets.”

Sennedd Research, the National Assembly for Wales Research Service, has updated its briefing guides to national and local planning policy in Wales.

The Sennedd’s national planning policy briefing highlights the Welsh planning legislative framework and provides an overview of Planning Policy Wales and the National Development Framework, the key national planning documents.

The local planning policy briefing focuses on the process for preparing Local Development Plans and provides an update on recent progresses in adoption across Wales. It also describes the recently-introduced category of “Strategic Development Plan”, as well as providing a list of additional sources where to find further information.