Free Wales consultation events run September to October

People and organisations across Wales can join free National Development Framework consultation events during September and October. The Welsh Government says sessions will be held at various locations across Wales and remotely, while the wider consultation remains open until 20 November 2026.

The events form part of a national conversation about how Wales should plan its communities, homes, infrastructure and natural resources through to 2050. They are intended for members of the public and organisations interested in the future of their community, town, city, region or the country as a whole.

When and where the consultation events will take place

The engagement programme will run throughout September and October 2026, with both in-person and remote sessions planned. Attendance is free.

The initial announcement does not specify individual event dates, start times, venue names, booking arrangements, transport information or accessibility provisions. Participants should therefore check the Welsh Government’s National Development Framework information for the confirmed schedule and instructions before making plans.

The events sit within a longer public consultation that opened on 19 August and closes on 20 November 2026. Responses are invited on three elements: the Statement of Public Participation, the National Conversation Engagement Plan and an accompanying Call for Evidence.

Seven themes will shape the national conversation

The programme is designed to gather views on how planning decisions should respond to Wales’s long-term needs. Discussion will cover:

• Wales in 2050, including what the country should be known for and what future generations should inherit
• Homes and communities, focusing on housing and community infrastructure
• Economy and prosperity, including the location of jobs and investment
• Climate and nature, treated as a connected challenge requiring coordinated action
• Movement and connectivity, covering transport and digital connections
• Culture, language and nationhood, including the role of Welsh identity in development
• Health and wellbeing, with attention to healthier lives and reducing inequalities

The National Development Framework provides the overarching direction for how places, infrastructure and natural resources are planned and managed through the Welsh planning system. Its revision is intended to inform decisions made nationally, regionally and locally.

Who can contribute before the November deadline

The consultation is open to the general public and organisations across Wales. People may take part because of concerns about housing, workplaces, transport, digital connectivity, the environment, cultural identity or the future of their own area; specialist planning knowledge is not listed as a requirement.

Siân Gwenllian, Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, said the process should give communities a meaningful voice in decisions about the homes, workplaces and infrastructure they need. The Welsh Government describes the engagement programme as the beginning of a broader conversation extending beyond planning policy.

Consultation documents and official response instructions are available through the Welsh Government’s National Development Framework service. Responses must be submitted by 20 November 2026, while the detailed schedule for September and October engagement events should be checked before attending.

Source: Welsh Government Announcements