Published Research

This study provides evidence to help us improve the decision-making process for onshore renewable and low-carbon energy developments.

We commissioned research to identify the implications of the introduction of Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) 2011 on national planning policy.

We commissioned research from Land Use Consultants to evaluate the delivery of planning services in National Parks (NPs) and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

Arup, the Cardiff School of City and Regional Planning and Liz Mills Associates have reviewed the management and control of the use of land in Wales.

We commissioned research from Beaufort Research to identify attitudes, perceptions and expectations of the Planning system.

We commissioned a report from an Independent Advisory Group, chaired by the former Director of the Planning Inspectorate in Wales, on the future delivery of planning services in Wales.

We want to measure the contribution the planning system makes to our vision of a sustainable Wales.  We said we would do this in our Sustainable Development Scheme so we commissioned research to help us decide on how we could do this.

We want to improve the timeliness and their usefulness of Joint Housing Land Availability Studies. So we commissioned research to examine their usefulness and the process of preparing them.

Research which evaluated the effectiveness of existing planning policy for economic development to help establish future planning policy and guidance requirements against the ‘Economic Renewal: a new direction’.

The planning system plays an important role in facilitating renewable energy projects in suitable locations. At the same time it helps to balance the local environmental effects of proposed development. This research was prepared for us by Land Use Consultants and the Centre for Sustainable Energy.

This research was commissioned in 2009. It provides an evidence base to inform a revised planning policy framework for onshore wind development in and around the Strategic Search Areas (SSA) in Wales.

This report sets out recommendations following the completion of ‘Planning for Renewable and Low Carbon Energy – A Toolkit for Planners’ and ‘Planning for Renewable and Low Carbon Energy – A Toolkit for Planners, Pembrokeshire Pilot Study’.

In 'One Wales' we committed to ensure an additional 6,500 affordable homes were delivered in Wales between 2007 and 2011. This research examines the barriers to the delivery of affordable housing in rural Wales.The report also identifies key enabling factors and good practice.

This research was carried out by the University of the West of England, Bristol. Their report assesses possible options for change to the permitted development rights available to mobile phone operators.

The research was carried out by Faber Maunsell. It identifies the practical implications for local authorities of implementing and helping low and zero carbon developments through the planning system.

This study provides a snapshot of the restoration and aftercare progress at mineral sites in Wales which have ceased working during the last ten years.

This report sets out a list of recommendations for changes to the data collected on the quarterly Welsh development control return.

Regional Aggregate Working Parties (RAWPs) were established in England and Wales in the early 1970s. They aimed to manage the need for and supply of aggregates (gravel, sand etc) in the construction industry. The Working Parties also deals with concerns about the environmental impact of extracting ...

This report provides evidence of developer interest through the compilation of a database of current onshore wind farm planning applications.

The British Geological Survey was contracted to produce a report on the Welsh coalfield resources, to support the re–drafting of the draft Coal Minerals Technical Advice Note (MTAN). They sub–contracted the environmental assessment research to Arup in July 2006.

This research was undertaken in 2007 by Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government to establish the baseline position of planning assessments or audits of open space, prior to the revision of TAN 16.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the processes by which planning policy development has been undertaken and to make specific recommendations for improvement, together with an assessment of how policy should be presented.

The report describes the results of a survey of practice with regard to planning obligations in 2005/06, to which all 25 local planning authorities in Wales responded.  The value of planning obligations agreed in Wales that year is estimated to be between £26m and £31m.  Affordable housing obligati ...

This research project is to establish reliable estimates for the arising and use of aggregates from construction and demolition waste (C&D waste) in Wales during 2005.

The Wales Planning Research Programme (WPRP) is intended to support the research needs of planning policy development in Wales. The WPRP's activities have been carried out based on a Scoping Study completed in 2000.

This is the final report of a study into the operation and effectiveness of the Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development (CoBP). It presents key findings on two main aspects of the CoBP – how Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) have operated the guidance and the public perception of ...

RPS has been contracted by the WelshAssembly Government to carry out a GIS mapping exercise to locate broad areas of search for the establishment of sub–regional waste facilities throughout Wales. For the purposes of this Project, “sub–regional” has been agreed by the Steering Group to ...

Arup Review of Final Report of June 2005

The Energy Assessment is a technical feasibility study of the seven proposed wind energy Strategic Search Areas.

Minerals Technical Advice Note 1: Aggregates (2004) proposes a different approach to the provision of aggregates in Wales through a careful assessment of the supply of aggregates based on a study of the environmental capacity of resource areas.