The national development framework - Future Wales: The National Plan 2040 - has been published today. Future Wales replaces the Wales Spatial Plan and forms part of the development plan for Wales.. It sets out high level and strategic national planning policies, some of which will be relevant to to individual planning applications and appeal decisions from today. It also sets contexts and requirements for new Strategic Development Plan (In the case of North Wales, a “Regional Plan” spanning all 6 LPAs and National Park) which will start to gather steam from mid 2022 onwards,. Local Development Plans are also be required to be in general conformity with Future Wales.

Alongside that, a new Edition of Planning Policy Wales has also been published today. Edition 11 aligns national planning policy with Future Wales and reflects recent legislative, policy and guidance updates.

As a consequence of the changes brought by Future Wales, TAN 8 (Renewable Energy) has been revoked.