Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary Economy, Energy and Planning
The Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024 (2024 Act) introduced a new process for the consenting of significant infrastructure projects in Wales.
In producing this legislation our aim was the consenting process to be underpinned by clear policy. Future Wales, our national plan, has provided our national vision for renewable and low carbon energy since 2021. This policy was drafted prior to the 2024 Act and I want to ensure it is clear this remains our policy for the determination of applications under the new system. To do this I have laid the policy before the Senedd Cymru and designated this as an Infrastructure Policy statement under section 127 of 2024 Act.
The policy statement ensures our policy continues to be used to determine applications considered under the new process. Importantly, the statement makes no amendments to the substance of policy as set out in Future Wales. In accordance with Planning (Wales) Act 2015 my officials are undertaking the monitoring of Future Wales. The collection of evidence in this process will provide the basis of any future review.