Welsh language supporters have gone on a 24 hour hunger strike today (Monday 30th June) calling on the Welsh Government to make planning law changes in order to strengthen the language at a community level.
The news comes following the publication of the draft Planning Bill which does not contain a single reference to the Welsh language. That is despite the government’s own consultation on the state of the language following the publication of the Census results - the Cynhadledd Fawr (Big Conversation) - recommending changes to planning law. In his statement earlier in the month about his language policy, the First Minister gave no commitment to amending the draft Planning Bill to include clauses about the Welsh language.
Explaining her reasons for fasting, the author Manon Steffan Ros who lives in Tywyn commented: “Very simply, there’s no right in Wales to refuse planning permission because of its language impact alone. The message is that the language isn’t important enough to consider when a large company wants to build 300 homes on the edge of your village. I don’t agree with that.”
The hunger-strikers are calling for planning legislation which would base the system on local needs rather than nationally-set housing targets, ensure the impact of developments on the Welsh language are assessed, and give legal power to councillors to approve or reject planning applications based on their impact on the language.
Cen Llwyd, sustainable communities spokesperson for Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg added: “We’re very grateful to everyone who’s willing to take this action to make the case for planning changes which are crucial for our language and communities’ vitality. We want a Planning Bill which puts 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.”
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. Cymdeithas yr Iaith is holding a series of public meetings to discuss its planning proposals. The next meeting in the Pierhead building in Cardiff on Friday, 4th July.