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.
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.
| Area | Wales | England |
|---|---|---|
| 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), 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.
- 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: Since 15 December 2025, qualifying major infrastructure projects in Wales need infrastructure consent under the Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024, which replaced the Developments of National Significance (DNS) regime. 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
Primary legislation and key regulations
Official guidance
The planning system in Wales - Business Wales (opens in a new tab)
businesswales.gov.wales · Wales
Planning application fees - GOV.WALES (opens in a new tab)
www.gov.wales · Wales
Future Wales: The National Plan 2040 - GOV.WALES (opens in a new tab)
www.gov.wales · Wales
Technical Advice Notes - GOV.WALES (opens in a new tab)
www.gov.wales · Wales
Planning Policy Wales - GOV.WALES (opens in a new tab)
www.gov.wales · Wales
DNS (Planning (Wales) Act 2015) (opens in a new tab)
HSE · Wales