Wales invites public to free planning events this autumn

The National Development Framework Consultation Engagement Events will be held at various locations across Wales during September and October 2026, with remote sessions also planned. The events are free and open to members of the public and organisations interested in how Wales should develop through to 2050.

Specific event dates, times and venues have not yet been published. The engagement programme forms part of a wider Welsh Government consultation that opened on 19 August and will accept responses until 20 November 2026.

In-person and remote events across Wales

The Welsh Government is organising the events as it begins a major revision of the National Development Framework. The framework guides how places, communities, infrastructure and natural resources are planned and managed through the Welsh planning system.

The September and October programme will give people across Wales opportunities to join the national conversation in person or remotely. It is intended for individual residents as well as organisations with an interest in the future of their community, town, city, region or the country as a whole.

The initial announcement confirms that events will take place around Wales but does not provide individual venue addresses, session times, booking instructions, transport information or accessibility arrangements. Those details should be checked when the programme is published on the Welsh Government’s National Development Framework page.

Seven themes will shape the discussion

The engagement events will examine how development decisions could affect daily life, public services and the character of communities over the coming decades. Seven areas have been identified for discussion:

• Wales in 2050, including what the country should be known for and what future generations should inherit
• Homes and communities, covering housing and the supporting community infrastructure Wales needs
• Economy and prosperity, including where employment and investment should be concentrated
• Climate and nature, with both treated as a connected emergency requiring coordinated action
• Movement and connectivity, including the future of transport and digital connections
• Culture, language and nationhood, focusing on the place of Welsh identity and the Welsh language in development
• Health and wellbeing, including how planning could support healthier lives and reduce inequalities

These themes extend beyond questions about individual developments. They address where homes, workplaces and infrastructure should be provided and how decisions made nationally, regionally and locally could fit together.

What the consultation is asking people to review

Participants are being invited to comment on three parts of the revision process: the Statement of Public Participation, the National Conversation Engagement Plan and an accompanying Call for Evidence.

Siân Gwenllian, Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, described the consultation as the beginning of a national conversation about the long-term future of Wales. She said the proposed approach is intended to give communities a genuine role in decisions about homes, workplaces and infrastructure while supporting cooperation with local authorities and regional partners.

The consultation also coincides with work on Wales’s first Climate and Nature Action Plan. According to the Welsh Government, that plan is intended to bring climate and nature considerations into decision-making across government.

How to participate before the November deadline

People and organisations can review the consultation documents and the official instructions for submitting a response on the Welsh Government’s National Development Framework page. Responses must be submitted by 20 November 2026.

Anyone hoping to attend an engagement event should watch the same official page for the confirmed September and October schedule, including locations, remote-session details and any entry arrangements.

Source: Welsh Government Announcements