The Minister was at the Royal Welsh Show to launch Technical Advice Note 6 (TAN 6) – Planning for Sustainable Rural Communities.
The guidance will make it easier for businesses to set up in rural areas and should help enterprises already located in the countryside to grow.
It relaxes control over development in the countryside whilst still ensuring that a measured approach is taken.
Another benefit of the guidance is that it will make it easier for farmers to build a new home on their land so that they can pass their business on to a younger person, whilst continuing to live on the farm.
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The TAN also supports the Assembly government's Sustainable Development scheme by encouraging One Planet Developments that have a low environmental impact.
Speaking at the event, the Environment Minister said: "The planning system must respond to the needs of rural communities.
"It must help ensure that appropriate development takes place at the right place and time, by providing sufficient land for the affordable homes and employment opportunities that our rural communities need.
"The guidance looks to do just that. It ensures the right environment to allow rural businesses to invest and grow in order to provide local employment opportunities, increase local prosperity and reduce the need for travel to work," she said, noting that it also supports existing plans for affordable rural housing by encouraging local authorities and landowners to identify sites for development and adopting a wide ranging approach to delivery of the policy.
"I am delighted that TAN 6 also supports One Planet developments, such as Lammas, that have a low environmental impact and provide an excellent model for how we can live truly sustainable lives in the future."
The Welsh Assembly government expects Local Authorities to take the new planning guidance into account immediately.
(BMcC/KMcA)
