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Policy and guidance

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Sustainable development

Sustainable development
We have made sustainable development our central organising principle. This means we make it central to everything we do and decisions we take.

Development plans

These plans set out proposals and policies for future development and use of land in local authority and national park areas across Wales.
Cover of Planning Policy Wales

We set policy and provide guidance to help good planning which can contribute to economic development, nature conservation and improve quality of life.

The context for planning policy in Wales is contained within two main documents:

  • Planning Policy Wales – guidance on the preparation and content of development plans and advice on development control decisions and appeals; and
  • Minerals Planning Policy Wales – guidance for the extraction of all minerals and other substances in, on or under land.

Planning Policy Wales and Minerals Planning Policy Wales are supplemented by a series of topic based Technical Advice Notes (TANs) and Minerals Technical Advice Notes (MTANs).

Policy Clarification letters provide advice and guidance on specific subjects.

Planning Policy Wales is published in electronic form only and when there are changes or updates to planning policy a new edition will be issued.