Welsh Government launches new pre-application consultation guidance for significant infrastructure projects

The Welsh Government has launched new guidance to support legislation brought in to simplify the process for developing significant infrastructure projects in Wales.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans this week announced the new guidance that will support the Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024.

The Act was brought in to modernise and simplify the process for developing large infrastructure projects in Wales by establishing a single infrastructure consenting process for specified types of major infrastructure projects.

The Welsh Government says it’s designed to speed up the consenting process for major projects on land and in the territorial sea, “creating more consistency and certainty in Wales’ ability to deliver infrastructure projects in the future”.

Speaking to developers and consultants in Cardiff, the minister formally launched ‘Meaningful Consultation, Lasting Impact’ the new best practice guide for pre-application consultation.

Produced by specialist stakeholder and communications agency Grasshopper, in collaboration with industry representatives, the new “user-friendly” guide for developers undertaking pre-application consultation on significant infrastructure projects in Wales is now live.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said: “This guidance will directly support the technical work that is undertaken every day in preparing, shaping and submitting complex applications for infrastructure projects.

“The new system introduces a modern, streamlined regime for securing the necessary consents to deliver significant infrastructure projects in Wales.

“It gives applicants greater clarity, more flexibility and fewer barriers to getting projects started on the ground. Crucially it is designed to speed up the delivery of infrastructure projects in Wales.

“Infrastructure development is essential to Wales’ future. Whether we are talking about modern renewable energy systems, major transport schemes or improved waste and water facilities, these projects shape how our communities live, work, and grow.”

Lessons

Clare Jones, Managing Director of Grasshopper, added: “Grasshopper was founded more than ten years ago with an ethos built around delivering positive change to the world around us.

“Core to this is a commitment to delivering best practice community engagement, that can really enable the delivery of better projects alongside meaningful long term social value.

“Having worked on more than 20 Developments of National Significance across Wales, we reflected on what current practice looks like in Wales and what lessons could be learnt before we launched a Consultation Best Practice Working Group for Wales.

“Having the opportunity to write the best practice guide has therefore allowed us to share many of the lessons we have learned over the last decade engaging on major infrastructure projects across the UK, and specifically within Wales.”

Presenting the guidance, Grasshopper’s Director of Wales Hannah Dineen said: “Significant infrastructure projects are highly complex and technical. Clear and effective engagement with communities and other relevant stakeholders is therefore key to delivering successful infrastructure projects across Wales.

“This guidance sets out advice for designing and carrying out consultations and ensures that, as well as being compliant with statutory requirements, they deliver meaningful engagement that can support project success for communities as well as developers.”

Following the launch of the guidance on 2 March 2026, the best practice guidance is now available online.

The guidance can be viewed in English here and in Welsh here.