Federation of Small Businesses - Gorwel Press Release

Federation of Small Businesses - Gorwel Press Release

Federation of Small Businesses - Gorwel
Press release

Monday, April 15

First report from think-tank Gorwelcalls for economic development to be placed at heart of Wales’ planning system

The Welsh planning system needs to do more to promote economic development, according to an independent report released today.

Forward Planning: A Report on the Future Options for Planning in Wales is the first report from think-tank Gorwel, and has been commissioned by the Federation of Small Businesses Wales.

The study makes seven key recommendations on how the planning system should be reformed to support economic growth in Wales.

The report warns that much of the discussion around the future of the planning system in Wales has focussed around aspirations that it cannot realistically meeton its own, such as providing affordable housing, or creating a solution to global warming. It warns that focussing on these issues in the planning system may come at the expense of the needs of businesses in Wales.

The report is timely, as discussions are currently underway regarding a new Welsh Planning Bill which will set a blueprint for development in Wales in the years to come.

Among the report’s key recommendations are:

  • That the new Welsh Planning Bill should explicitly state that a major purpose of the planning system is to promote economic development and employment opportunities
  • That planning officers should be given a duty to promote economic activity through a ‘presumption to develop’ within the planning process
  • That there should be a temporary three-year relaxation of planning rules in Wales in line with the similar relaxation in England
  • That business organisations should be given formal consultee or advisory status as part of the Local Development Plan process
  • That Section 106 agreements should be used to ensure that new retail developments include a healthy proportion of local businesses

The report also calls for the 14 recommendations of Cardiff School of City and Regional Planning’s 2008 report Small Businesses and the Planning System in Wales to be examined for inclusion in future Welsh planning legislation, and in any update of Planning Policy Wales. That 2008 report was also commissioned by FSB Wales.

Janet Jones, Welsh Policy Unit Chair for the Federation of Small Businesses welcomed the study.

“This new independent report from Gorwel will help to inform the debate on the future of the planning system in Wales,” she said.

“We welcome the report’s endorsement of the recommendations of the Small Businesses in the Planning System in Wales study previously commissioned by the FSB. We also welcome this new report’s calls for a presumption in favour of development and the idea of using Section 106 agreements toensure that retail developers includelocally-owned businesses within retail developments.

“If we are to encourage economic growth in Wales then we need a planning system that works in the interests of small businesses, and we would encourage policymakers in Wales to carefully consider this report with that in mind.”

Gorwel’s President David Melding said the planning system had a key role to play in Wales’ economic future.

“Efficient planning regulations are a key component of a healthy enterprise culture,” he said.

“Businesses require clear and prompt decisions based on readily understoodpolicies. And planning authorities must strive to be enablers and advisors ratherthan the bouncers of the planning system.

“Gorwel is greatly indebted to the FSB for commissioning this report into Future Options for Planning in Wales. Like the FSB, Gorwel believes that future economicgrowth will be hindered unless planning policies are business friendly and fitfor purpose.”

ENDS

For further information contact:

Rhodri Evans, Communications Advisor, FSB Wales – 02920 393403

David Melding AM - 02920 898732 email:

Steve Belzak (report author) - 01443 486374 email:

Steve Belzak is the independent researcher contracted by Gorwel to undertake the research on this planning report. Steve Belzak speaks therefore in personal capacity as a researcher on this project and not as an employee of Gorwel in any media interviews requested.

Notes to editors:-

The FSB is the UK's leading business organisation with around 200,000 members, 10,000 of whom are in Wales. It exists to protect and promote the interests of the UK's Real-Life Entrepreneurs who run their own business. More information is available at

Gorwel is a think-tank established for those people who believe that the future of theWelsh economy is in the hands of all people in Wales, and that good ideas cancome from people of all political parties and none.

Gorwel is a non-profit making company limited by guarantee. It does not receive any government funding and from the outsetit has been funded by small donations or from money paid to undertake researchactivity. In the spring of 2013 it is Gorwel’s aim to become a registeredcharity.

Ffederasiwn y Busnesau Bach
Datganiad i’r Wasg

Adroddiad cyntaf Gorwel yn galw am roi datblygu economaidd wrth wraidd y system gynllunio yng Nghymru

Mae angen i’r drefn gynllunio yng Nghymru wneud mwy i hyrwyddo datblygiad economaidd, yn ôl adroddiad annibynnol gyhoeddwyd heddiw.

Blaengynllunio: Adroddiad ar Ddewisiadau’r Dyfodol ar gyfer Cynllunio yng Nghymru yw adroddiad cyntaf y felin drafod Gorwel, a chafodd ei gomisiynu gan Ffederasiwn y Busnesau Bach, Cymru.

Mae'r astudiaeth yn gwneud saith o argymhellion allweddol ar sut y dylid diwygio’r system gynllunio i gefnogi twf economaidd yng Nghymru.

Mae'r adroddiad yn rhybuddio na ellir disgwyl i’r system gynllunio yng Nghymru ar ei ben ei hun gyflawni dyheadau mewn meysydd fel darparu tai fforddiadwy, neu ddod o hyd i ddatrysiad i broblem cynhesu byd-eang. Mae'n rhybuddio y gallai canolbwyntio ar y materion hyn o fewn y drefn gynllunio fod ar draul anghenion busnesau yng Nghymru.

Mae'r adroddiad yn un amserol, gan fod trafodaethau ar hyn o bryd ar y gweill ynglŷn â Bil Cynllunio newydd i Gymru a fydd yn gosod glasbrint ar gyfer datblygu yng Nghymru yn y blynyddoedd i ddod.

Dyma rai o brif argymhellion yr adroddiad:

• Y dylai Bil Cynllunio newydd i Gymru ddatgan yn bendant mai un o brif ddibenion y drefn gynllunio yw hyrwyddo datblygiad economaidd a chyfleoedd gwaith

• Y dylid rhoi dyletswydd ar swyddogion cynllunio i hyrwyddo gweithgarwch economaidd drwy greu 'rhagdybiaeth i ddatblygu' o fewn y broses gynllunio

• Y dylid llacio’r rheolau cynllunio yng Nghymru dros dro am dair blynedd yn unol â'r sefyllfa yn Lloegr

• Y dylid rhoi statws ymgynghorol ffurfiol i sefydliadau busnes fel rhan o’r broses Cynllun Datblygu Lleol

• Y dylid defnyddio cytundebau Adran 106 i sicrhau bod datblygiadau adwerthu newydd yn cynnwys cyfran sylweddol o fusnesau lleol

Mae'r adroddiad hefyd yn galw am ystyried y 14 o argymhellion yn adroddiad Ysgol Cynllunio Dinesig a Rhanbarthol Caerdydd - Busnesau Bach a'r System Gynllunio yng Nghymru o 2008. Mae’n galw am ystyried eu cynnwys mewn deddfwriaeth gynllunio yn y dyfodol ac mewn unrhyw ddiweddariad o Bolisi Cynllunio Cymru. Cafodd yr adroddiad hwnnw hefyd ei gomisiynu gan FSB Cymru.

Croesawyd adroddiad Gorwel gan Janet Jones, Cadeirydd Uned Polisi Cymru’r FSB:

"Bydd yr adroddiad annibynnol newydd yma gan Gorwel yn helpu i lywio'r drafodaeth ar ddyfodol y system gynllunio yng Nghymru," meddai.

"Rydym yn croesawu’r ffaith bod yr adroddiad yn cefnogi argymhellion adroddiad ‘Busnesau Bach a'r System Gynllunio yng Nghymru’, a gomisiynwyd yn flaenorol gan Ffederasiwn y Busnesau Bach.

“Rydym hefyd yn croesawu galwadau’r adroddiad newydd yma am ragdybiaeth o blaid datblygu, ynghyd â'r syniad o ddefnyddio cytundebau Adran 106 er mwyn sicrhau bod datblygwyr adwerthu yn cynnwys busnesau lleol o fewn datblygiadau mân-werthu.
"Os ydym am annog twf economaidd yng Nghymru, mae angen system gynllunio sy'n gweithio o blaid busnesau bach, a byddem yn annog llunwyr polisi yng Nghymru i gofio hynny wrth ystyried yr adroddiad hwn yn ofalus.”
Dywedodd Llywydd Gorwel David Melding fod gan y system gynllunio rôl allweddol i'w chwarae yn nyfodol economaidd Cymru.
"Mae rheoliadau cynllunio effeithlon yn elfen allweddol o ddiwylliant menter iach," meddai.
"Mae angen penderfyniadau clir a phrydlon ar fusnesau yn seiliedig ar bolisïau hawdd eu deall. Ac mae'n rhaid i awdurdodau cynllunio ymdrechu i fod yn hwyluswyr ac ymgynghorwyr, yn hytrach na’n warcheidwaid y system gynllunio.
"Mae Gorwel yn ddyledus iawn i Ffederasiwn y Busnesau Bach am gomisiynu’r adroddiad hwn i Ddewisiadau’r Dyfodol ar gyfer Cynllunio yng Nghymru. Fel Ffederasiwn y Busnesau Bach, mae Gorwel yn credu y bydd twf economaidd yn y dyfodol yn cael ei lesteirio oni bai bod polisïau cynllunio o gymorth i fusnes ac yn addas i'r diben. "
-Diwedd-

Nodiadau i olygyddion: -

  • Yr FSB yw corff busnes mwyaf blaenllaw’r DU yn cynrychioli 200,000 o aelodau, gyda 10,000 o’r rheiny yng Nghymru. Nod Ffederasiwn y Busnesau Bach yw gwarchod buddiannau gwir entrepreneuriaid Cymru. Mae rhagor o wybodaeth ar
  • Melin drafod yw Gorwel a sefydlwyd ar gyfer y bobl hynny sy'n credu bod dyfodol economi Cymru yn nwylo holl bobl Cymru, a bod syniadau da'n gallu dod gan bobl o bob plaid wleidyddol, neu o ddim unrhyw blaid.
  • Mae Gorwel yn gwmni dielw cyfyngedig trwy warant. Nid yw'n derbyn unrhyw gyllid gan lywodraeth ac o'r cychwyn cyntaf mae wedi cael ei ariannu gan roddion bach neu drwy dâl i ymgymryd â gweithgaredd ymchwil. Nod Gorwel yw dod yn elusen gofrestredig yng ngwanwyn 2013Alpha

Cyswllt i’r cyfryngau: Iestyn Davies 07917 828929

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