Further to WAQ76536 and only one planning application being determined by Welsh Ministers, what consideration has the Cabinet Secretary made of reviewing the current guidance for call-in requests to ensure that applications affecting more than the local area may be determined nationally, to include taking into account impacts on tourism?
The power of the Welsh Ministers to call-in planning applications is discretionary and wide. These powers are used selectively and call-in is generally only considered appropriate where an application raises planning issues of more than local importance. Examples of proposals where call-in may be considered appropriate are those which:
- are in conflict with national planning policies;
- could have wide effects beyond their immediate locality;
- may give rise to substantial controversy beyond the immediate locality;
- are likely significantly to affect sites of scientific, nature conservation or historic interest or areas of landscape importance;
- raise issues of national security; or
- raise novel planning issues.
The current powers and guidance are considered sufficiently wide to enable the Welsh Ministers to call in applications which raise any relevant planning issues deemed to be of more than local importance.