The new NPPF draft – why isn’t Wales following suit? It’s the economy, stupid.
January 6th, 2026Famed political strategist James Carville helped Bill Clinton win the 1992 US presidential election with three key mantras, the most famous of which was “it’s the economy, stupid”. It is said that every Presidential election since has been won or lost based on the performance of the incumbent.
This mantra has evidently been heard in Westminster. Immediately following its 2024 election, the new Labour Government had issued major changes to planning policy to support housing and economic growth. Now, within a year of the last review, it has issued a consultation on further changes.
The headline changes have been cautiously welcomed by the development industry. It brings about, for example, a permanent presumption in favour of sustainable development, supports development around train stations, supports local and regional economies, seeks to streamline local standards and supports higher density residential development in urban and suburban areas.
It has also sought to provide at least some respite from the blunt instrument that is BNG, but only for smaller sites.
The dynamism of the Westminster Government towards shaping the planning system towards economic growth can be contrasted sharply with that of Welsh Government.
Its last nod to the role of economic growth in the Welsh planning system was TAN23 in February 2014. Let that sink in for a moment – Welsh Government’s last revision of planning policy or the associated technical advice in respect of the economy was formulated when the UK was still in the EU and when David Cameron was Prime Minister.
So what on earth have they been doing for the past twelve years? Certainly, the sandal attired boffins at Cathays Park have been well ahead of the game in terms of the climate emergency and, more recently in PPW 12, the nature emergency. However, the economic emergency appears to have passed them by.
This is despite Wales remaining at the bottom of an UK table measuring the strength of the economy (BBC, 9th December 2025) and consistently behind the UK averages on most key economic indicators.
It is also despite the progressive approach of its Westminster colleagues, and the significant political pressure upon it from other parties that are feeding off the lack of any positive economic change in many of Wales’s communities to hold a hefty lead over the incumbent Labour administration.
Given this context, and bearing in mind Carville’s sage guidance, making a strong commitment to new housing and economic development in Wales at this point would seem to be an easy policy decision, yet the Labour led Welsh Government sits idle.
Rome burned while Nero played his lyre. I bet he was wearing sandals, too.