With regard to comments of 30 June 2021 regarding phosphates, will the Minister provide further information to remarks that more assessment is needed of each of the proposed projects to fully understand the environmental impact, and provide outline a timeline of these assessments?
Natural Resources Wales has published guidance on Environmental Assessment, which includes the requirement for a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA): https://naturalresources.wales/guidance-and-advice/business-sectors/planning-and-development/advice-for-developers/environmental-assessment/?lang=en
The purpose of HRA is to assess the possible harm a project or plan could cause to protected sites and to ensure significant damage is avoided. The timelines for assessing each project will depend upon case specific factors such as the potential need to obtain permits for different types of proposed work. The Welsh Government’s Technical Advice Note on Nature Conservation and Planning (TAN 5) provides further detail:
https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2018-09/tan5-nature-conservation.pdf