Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has published a series of innovative area statements this week covering seven separate but hugely diverse parts of the country. That for SE Wales is at https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/area-statements/south-east-wales-area-statement/introduction-to-south-east-area-statement/?lang=en .

NRW has explained: “Each area statement outlines the key challenges facing that particular locality, what we can all do to meet those challenges, and how we can better manage our natural resources for the benefit of future generations. They will be updated regularly and improved year on year as we engage with more people, gather new evidence, put forward ideas and work across boundaries to create opportunities.”

The Welsh Government has stressed these are “a key piece of evidence which must be considered in development plan preparation”.

Following a period of consultation, the Welsh Government has confirmed that it will revise Planning Policy Wales (PPW) by implementing the replacement of the five-year housing land supply policy by the monitoring of housing delivery against local development plan housing trajectories. This will involve the revocation of TAN 1 (Joint Housing Land Availability Studies) and the publication of Edition 3 of the Development Plans Manual. These changes will be incorporated in a new edition of PPW in the autumn of 2020.