A number of groups have stated their support for Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg’s campaign for a planning system to strengthen the language at a community level, the language group announced today.

The news comes after the Welsh Government published a draft bill that doesn’t include a single reference to the Welsh language, despite all the emphasis on the importance of the planning system in the “Cynhadledd Fawr” - the Government’s own consultation on the state of the language. The Government’s revised legislation, following a period of consultation, is expected to be presented to the Assembly in Autumn this year.

Among the signatories of the statement supporting changes to the planning system are Friends of the Earth Cymru, the Chief Executive of the National Eisteddfod, former chair of the Celebrating Our Language umbrella group, the Chief Executive of language group Cymuned and lawyers Siôn Tudur and Rhys Thomas. The groups and individuals have agreed to support planning legislation that:

• States that the purpose of the planning system is to manage land in a way that’s sustainable environmentally, that tackles poverty and promotes the Welsh language

• Assesses local needs as a starting point and firm basis for development plans, instead of housing targets based on national population projections.

• Ensures that the effect of developments on the Welsh language are assessed

• Gives legal power to councillors to consider the Welsh language when permitting or rejecting plans, by making the Welsh language a statutory material consideration

• Establishes a Planning Tribunal for Wales to which communities can appeal

Toni Schiavone, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg Sustainable Communities’ spokesperson commented: “I’m pleased there’s so much support for our calls - it shows there’s a consensus forming about the importance of these important changes to the planning system. The statement, which is based on our alternative legislative proposals as a group, attempts to put the interests of communities first in order to tackle poverty as well as problems which face the language and the environment. The Welsh Government has the chance to show they’re serious about ensuring a future for Welsh speaking communities and people’s ability to live in Welsh. It’s essential the Welsh language is made a statutory consideration in planning, so the language thrives over the years to come.”

A large number of housing developments have been in the news recently because of their effect on the language, such as planning applications for housing in Penybanc, Bethesda and Bodelwyddan. The number of communities where more than 70% of the population speaks Welsh has seriously declined over the last twenty years, from 92 in 1991 to 39 in 2011.

Robin Farrar, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, added: “We’re calling for a transformation of the planning system as part of the six policy changes which are needed in order to deal with the crisis shown by the Census. Earlier this year, we published an alternative Planning Bill, and the statement we have released today summarises its main proposals. We are offering a vision of the type of system which would work for our communities instead of undermining them. We will be collecting more names supporting the statement over the next months and present them to the Government.”