Language campaigners have said that Denbighshire County Council's decision to allow a planning application to build a development of 1,700 homes in Bodelwyddan shows that it is vital to ensure that the Welsh language is central to the Planning Bill.

Aled Powell, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith's Clwyd Rhanbarth, said:
"This unfortunate news comes after 5 years of campaigning and co-operation between Cymdeithas and the Save Bodelwyddan group, and naturally enough, we were greatly saddened by this decision. It became very clear to me, during the meeting, that we have a planning system in Wales which not only militates against our communities, but also the democratic voice of our communities. After all the letters against the plan, after a community referendum, all the protesting and lobbying, it is very clear today that the voice of our communities means nothing in the system as it stands"

He added: "This clearly shows that we need a new planning system for Wales, which sets the local need for housing at its core, and sets the Welsh language as a material planning consideration. What has happened in Bodelwyddan is a perfect example for Welsh Government, of how the planning system works against Welsh communities. That's why the new Planning Bill must set the Welsh language and the voice of our communities at its core; otherwise, the length and breadth of Wales will be dotted with cases like Bodelwyddan in the coming years."