Welsh planners get £250,000 boost

Jennifer Sprinks, PlanningResource, 25 July 2008

The Welsh Assembly Government is to provide funding for a range of Wales-wide projects including local planning authorities that handle large-scale wind farm planning applications and for training elected members on the revised Local Development Plans.

The minister for environment, sustainability and housing in Wales Jane Davidson said: “While local planning authorities have the key role in the planning system, these allocations also recognise the importance of other key partners working with the authorities in delivering an efficient, effective and open planning service. 

“It is also essential that we all continue to work together to ensure our changing priorities and needs can be delivered via the planning service.”

Funding will also help to invest in the future workforce through the provision of a limited number of student planning bursaries and it will also support the development of the Planning Portal in Wales, including the promotion of an electronic bilingual planning application form across Wales.

The funding is in addition to the announcement in March that £1.75 million would be distributed equally to all 25 local planning authorities in Wales.