Planning permission in Wales: how it differs from England

Key differences in the Welsh planning system, including PPW, TANs, LDPs, permitted development rights, fees, and application types under the Planning (Wales) Act 2015.

Wales
Guide summary

If your business operates in Wales, follow Welsh planning rules, not English ones. Check which system applies to your site location. Wales has different permitted development rights, fees, and application types.

  • Follow Welsh planning rules if your site is in Wales
  • Check Planning Policy Wales (PPW) for national guidance
  • Use Local Development Plans (LDPs) for local rules
  • Permitted development rights are more restrictive than England
  • No commercial to residential conversion without full planning permission
  • Householder extensions are smaller than in England
  • Planning application fees set by Welsh Government
  • Submit applications via Planning Portal (Wales section)
  • Check Future Wales: The National Plan 2040 for national priorities
  • Apply for a Lawful Development Certificate if unsure
On this page
Wales

Related guides in Premises & Operations

Wales has its own devolved planning system, separate from England. If your business operates in Wales or you are developing land in Wales, you must follow Welsh planning rules, not English ones. The two systems share historical roots but have diverged significantly since devolution, particularly after the Planning (Wales) Act 2015.

This guide sets out the main differences. If you operate across the border, check which system applies to your site location — planning jurisdiction is determined by where the land is, not where your business is based.

Policy and guidance framework

Wales and England use different national policy documents and supplementary guidance. If you are accustomed to the English system, the table below shows the Welsh equivalents.
Primary legislation Planning (Wales) Act 2015 Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended by various English Acts)
National planning policy Planning Policy Wales (PPW), currently Edition 12 (July 2024) National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
National spatial plan Future Wales: The National Plan 2040 (statutory development plan status) No equivalent with development plan status
Supplementary guidance Technical Advice Notes (TANs) Planning Practice Guidance (PPGs)
Local plans Local Development Plans (LDPs) Local Plans
Regional plans Strategic Development Plans (SDPs) prepared by CJCs No mandatory regional tier (some spatial strategies)
Local planning authorities 25 (22 councils + 3 national park authorities) Approximately 340
Application portal Planning Portal (Wales section) Planning Portal (England section)

Fees and applications

Wales sets its own planning application fees by Welsh Government regulations, separate from the English fee schedule. Fees were last updated on 1 December 2025, the first increase since August 2020.

Other key differences

  • Developer contributions: Wales relies on Section 106 agreements. CIL is available but most Welsh authorities have not adopted it. England uses both CIL and Section 106, and is introducing the Infrastructure Levy.
  • Well-being duty: The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 applies to planning decisions in Wales. There is no direct English equivalent.
  • Use classes: Wales retains the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987. England introduced Use Class E, consolidating several commercial uses — this does not apply in Wales.
  • Large infrastructure: Wales uses the Developments of National Significance (DNS) regime for energy projects between 10MW and 350MW. England uses Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) under the Planning Act 2008 with different thresholds.
  • SuDS: Sustainable Drainage Systems approval is mandatory in Wales for construction areas of 100 square metres or more. This requirement does not apply in England.
  • Welsh language: TAN 20 requires consideration of the Welsh language in planning decisions in certain areas. There is no English equivalent.

Legal basis

Official guidance