Environment, Sustainability and Housing Minister, Jane Davidson, has confirmed further allocations of funding to support improvements in the delivery of the planning service in Wales.

Ms Davidson said: "The Welsh Assembly Government previously announced specific funding for all 25 local planning authorities in Wales to support improvements in delivery of their planning service in their local area.

I am now pleased to announce further allocations to fund a range of Wales-wide projects, and to support key partners who work alongside planning authorities in delivering the planning service."

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The Minister explained that as the focus must be on delivery she has agreed to funding for the following areas of work:

Funding for those local planning authorities handling large-scale wind farm planning applications

Training for LPA Elected Members on the new style Local Development Plans, and on development management

Further development of the Planning Portal in Wales, including supporting rolling out an electronic bilingual standard application form for use by everyone who applies for planning permission in any planning authority in Wales, and investing in the future workforce, through the provision of a limited number of student planning bursaries through the Department for City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University.

She added: "While Local Planning Authorities have the key role in the planning system, these allocations also recognise the importance of other key partners working with LPAs in delivering an efficient, effective and open planning service. It is essential that we all continue to work together to ensure our changing priorities and needs can be delivered via the planning service."

(CD/JM)