A Development of National Significance (DNS) is a type of planning application for large infrastructure developments in Wales. The relevant legislation was introduced by the Planning (Wales) Act 2015 and applications are made to the Welsh Government, rather than the local planning authority (LPA).

Examples covered by a DNS include airports, railways, gas storage facilities, onshore wind electricity generating 10 megawatts or over and other large-scale onshore electricity generating stations of between 10 and 350 megawatts. Any projects beneath these thresholds are made to the LPA, with projects above the thresholds likely comprising Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.

According to the Welsh Government, the DNS regime brings greater control in the decision-making process within the time period set out by the statute, resulting in more successful outcomes.

Prior to submission of a DNS application, the applicant is required to submit a notification of the proposed development to the Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) which acts on behalf of the Welsh Government. PEDW then has 10 working days to accept or reject the notification.

Once the notification is accepted, the applicant has 12 months to submit a planning application. From the acceptance of the notice, the applicant, PEDW and the LPA have differing responsibilities to notify the public of the proposed development.

The DNS process is front loaded, with PEDW encouraging the applicant to engage in formal meetings with relevant bodies and interested parties such as Natural Resources Wales, LPAs, the host community and more. The purpose of engaging with relevant parties during the pre-application process is to ensure that issues are resolved before the planning application is submitted.

The Welsh Government should make a decision within 36 weeks from the application acceptance date. This decision is informed by a report produced by the inspector from PEDW. Once the decision has been made, there is no appeal route, aside from judicial review.

The Welsh Government is also working on a long-term solution to provide a one-stop-shop consenting process, bespoke to Wales. The process would consolidate existing consents, including secondary consents, into one single type of consent – a feature which the DNS process does not benefit from.

Further information

Contact Jack Pugsley

Contact Savills Planning