A Strategic Development Plan recognises that planning for an individual local planning authority administrative area does not necessarily reflect how people live their lives, how markets operate or how business functions.
The plan allows for a wider geographical area to be considered in a single plan. It facilitates the creation of a cohesive, long-term vision that addresses the unique needs and opportunities of our communities.
The plan aims to foster sustainable economic growth, enhance infrastructure, and improve the overall quality of life for residents. By collaborating closely with local authorities, businesses, and stakeholders, the SDP will ensure that development is balanced and inclusive, reflecting the aspirations of our diverse population. It adopts a midpoint between the National Plan and Local Development Plans (LDPs) and will provide a strategic context for the preparation of subsequent LDPs.
Furthermore, the SDP responds to the statutory duties set by Welsh Government Ministers for Corporate Joint Committees, ensuring that our regional planning aligns with national priorities and legislative requirements. This strategic approach will enable North Wales to thrive, securing a prosperous future for generations to come.
The Strategic Development Process and Stage Reached
There are several key stages involved in the production of an SDP:
Complete
In Progress
The North Wales Corporate Joint Committee has begun work on its SDP and has prepared a draft Delivery Agreement as the first stage in this process. The Delivery Agreement is essentially a plan of how the Plan will be prepared. It has two main parts to it:
- A Statement of Community Involvement – This sets out the context in which the plan will be produced and how and when interested parties can engage with the plan making process.
- A detailed timetable showing for each key stage in the plan process, how long it will take, and when the plan is expected to be completed and adopted.
Consultation on the Draft Delivery Agreement
The Delivery Agreement has already been shared with Welsh Government officials and officers from the Local Planning Authorities in North Wales, to facilitate feedback on its form and content, prior to publishing the document for consultation.
Members of the CJC’s Strategic Planning sub-Committee have also reviewed the draft document and the CJC Board received an update on its progress at its meeting on 18th July.
The SDP Regulations define specific and general consultees who should be involved in the production of the Delivery Agreement. A list of each of these groups is shown in the appendices of the draft Delivery Agreement document and each of these can be involved as part of consulting on the Delivery Agreement.
The Draft Delivery Agreement was available to review and comment from 18th July until 29th August 2025. Any queries in relation to the document or the consultation process can be addressed to the email below.
If you would like to be informed of future stages in the SDP process please provide your contact details, company or organisation, and any specific interest in the Plan, and we will add these to a mailing database which we will use to provide regular updates and notification of key stages, consultation events etc.
Approval of the Delivery Agreement
Following consultation on the draft Delivery Agreement, the Consultation Report and amended Delivery Agreement was considered by the Corporate Joint Committee at its meeting held on 19th September 2025. The Corporate Joint Committee endorsed the Delivery Agreement as being ready to submit to Welsh Government subject to the budget setting process for 2026/27 identifying a sufficient budget to commence the SDP. The Corporate Joint Committee agreed the budget for 2026/27 at its meeting held on 23rd January 2026, including provision for the SDP. At the same meeting, it was also agreed to formally submit the Delivery Agreement to Welsh Government for approval.
The Delivery Agreement was subsequently submitted to Welsh Government on 11th February 2026 and Welsh Government agreed to the Delivery Agreement and its timetable in a letter dated 24th February 2026. This letter and the approved Delivery Agreement are available via the document links below.
The plan-making process has now moved to stage 2 of the timetable - Development of the Evidence Base - where support for its development has been procured from consultants Arup.
Alongside the evidence gathering, consideration will be given to the commencement of key conversations with key stakeholder groups, both from the perspective of how they can contribute to the evidence base, but also in terms of how they see the role of the SDP in developing policies and proposals that can facilitate positive growth and well-being in North Wales over the next 25 years.
Next Steps
Over the next 12 months the evidence base work will inform the development of a vision and strategic objectives for the plan, summarise emerging issues in a Main Issues and Options Report, developing the Call for Candidate Sites process, draft regional Growth and Spatial options, all focussed on the development of a Preferred Strategy (stages 3 & 4).
Contact details
