Local Environment

Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 2:17 pm on 19 June 2024.

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Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 2:17, 19 June 2024

Thank you, Sioned. Being born and raised in Gowerton, I know Kilvey Hill and the area very well indeed, and I've walked up there and been in the neighbouring areas as well, when my sons have been playing rugby close by in the community.

It is important that local people's voices are heard, but from a Welsh Government perspective, which you rightly focus on, it's worth expanding a little bit on what we do in terms of our assessments. It's difficult for me to comment in detail on any individual application, because, clearly, this has to work its way through and Cabinet Secretaries, at some point, may be part of decision making on individual applications in different parts of Wales.

But in terms of the integrated impact assessment, there is a wide range of topics that can be considered with this, such as the local environment and questions about the impact on people's lives who may be affected by changes in the local environment. It looks at it through a number of lenses, including biodversity, natural resources, habitat and climate change, including decarbonisation and climate resilience. It does pose questions about the impact on communities and sustainable land management, and also, even—although not specifically or particularly in terms of Kilvey Hill—it focuses on issues to do with, for example, Welsh language impact assessments, equality impact assessments, children's rights, socioeconomic assessments, and so on. So, it's quite thorough. It does also look at what the impact will be on habitats, and whether that has a local application.

As I say, I can't comment in detail on a specific application, but I thank you for raising it here in the Chamber today, on behalf of local residents, and it is important that their voices are heard as well, on any scheme, not just the Kilvey Hill one, but any one throughout Wales.

Cabinet

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Welsh language

The language of Wales spoken by around 25% of the population. It is an Indo-European language and belongs to the Celtic group. It was made "offical" in Wales by the Welsh Language Act 1993. It is known in Welsh as Cymraeg.