This month marks the 15^th anniversary of the land-based One Planet Development (OPD) planning policy in Cymru / Wales.

OPD is described as a “forward-thinking planning policy” which “provides a genuinely affordable and sustainable way for people to live and work on their own land, bringing social, economic and environmental benefits” (One Planet Council). For more on OPD, check out webpage: One Planet Development (Cymru/Wales).

The 15^th anniversary offers an opportunity to look back at the highlights – or in a few cases the lowlights – of the implementation of this ground-breaking policy. We’ve therefore reviewed online news sources and come up with a list of ten.

Here’s what we’ve come up with…

• Introduction – Based on a chief planner’s letter of 20^th July 2010, OPD was adopted via updated versions of Planning Policy Wales and the TAN6 guidance. The new policy was apparently given a “lukewarm applause” at the Royal Welsh Show.

• Guidance and support – The OPD Practice Guidance arrived in 2012. A couple of years later, the One Planet Council was launched, as “an independent voluntary body supporting One Planet Development in Wales and beyond”.

• First OPDs – According to the OPC website, the first temporary planning consent was for a woodland OPD holding in Ceredigion in 2011. The first permanent permission was for a smallholding in Caerphilly in 2014. There was a big battle over an eco-roundhouse in Pembrokeshire, which was ultimately granted on appeal. Also granted on appeal was a group of four OPD smallholdings in Carmarthenshire. As can be seen, there has been a focus of OPD activity in south west Wales.

• Books – The late David Thorpe wrote The ‘One Planet’ Life, Tess Delaney wrote NoPD: How to Epically Fail at One Planet Development, and the Watkinsons (who appeared in a Ben Fogle TV series) wrote How We Went Off-Grid.

• Contrasting views – On one hand, there have been calls for a moratorium on OPD  (see 2019, 2020 and 2023). There has also been a suggestion that an OPD is a “scam”, now being exploited by those “of a commercial bent”. On the other hand, OPD applicants have raised concerns about councils stalling their planning applications, such as in Pembrokeshire, and some councils have been found to be acting unreasonably, such as in Carmarthenshire.

• Research – In 2022, Brett Sanders published his PhD thesis Towards an Ecotopia?, which argued that the “stringent nature” of OPD had led to limited uptake; also hindered by deficient decision-making and divisive narratives. For another academic take on OPD, see the chapter on OPD in Postcapitalist Countrysides. This states that “One Planet Development is more about connecting with the land, and limiting impacts on the planet, than it is ‘dropping out’ of society”.

• Review – Also in 2022, the One Planet Council published its Review of One Planet Development in Wales. The report identified key successes and challenges of the OPD policy and made recommendations for future improvement. There’s too much to cover here, but if you head to the end of the report, there’s a handy summary of the key findings and recommendations.

• More OPD – Since the review, more OPDs have been granted, including the first OPD in Swansea and an award-winning potter’s OPD scheme, whilst others have gone to appeal and a council has again been found acting unreasonably.

• Latest numbers – According to the One Planet Council, as of 1^st January 2025 there were 53 approved OPD applications, comprising 56 individual OPDs, adding to the pre-OPD smallholdings at Lammas ecovillage and Brithdir Mawr, etc.

• Wider adoption – Inspired by the example set by Wales, OPD-style planning policies have been adopted in South West England (Dartmoor and Cornwall) and countries such as Ireland and New Zealand are exploring the policy’s potential.

So that’s our summary of 15 years of OPD in Wales. If you feel it’s missing anything, you’re welcome to add comments below this blogpost.

Lastly, what might the future hold for OPD in Wales?

As stated above, in 2022 the One Planet Council produced its review. The Welsh Government acknowledged the review, yet nearly three years on, it doesn’t appear that any changes to OPD policy have been made in response to the review.

Going forwards, perhaps this will still happen. However, an element of uncertainty might be brought into play in 2026, with Senedd elections – and a potential change in political leadership in Wales. It’s unclear what implications this might have.

Perhaps OPD will sail on regardless, with more OPD smallholdings being established across Wales, including in Mid and North Wales. And perhaps more grouped OPDs, or even – to quote from TAN6 – “co-operative communities or larger settlements”.

What we do know is that the pioneers who have established over 50 OPD smallholdings between them are living and working more sustainably that the average citizen, and sharing their learnings with others. And on that note…

If you’re interested in visiting an OPD smallholding, there’s an Open Week taking place in August – see the One Planet Council website for more info. There are also regular tours of the OPD-style smallholdings at Lammas ecovillage.

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