Changes to planning law risk sidelining the voice of the public in decisions on significant new energy projects, Senedd members warned.

Plaid Cymru’s Luke Fletcher said accountability in planning decisions will be undermined by new regulations on major projects, known as developments of national significance (DNS).

Mr Fletcher told the Senedd the regulations will raise the threshold at which energy projects are decided by Welsh ministers from 10MW to 50MW, marking a fundamental shift.

The shadow economy secretary said: “Projects that could have considerable impacts on communities, landscapes and ecosystems will now receive less scrutiny, with the decision making process potentially expedited at the expense of … thorough democratic oversight.

“While we recognise the need for efficiency in the planning system, this cannot come at the cost of transparency and community involvement.”

Rebecca Evans, Wales’ economy secretary, said: “I’m afraid Plaid Cymru seems to have completely misunderstood the regulations which are being debated today.

“The application and determination process doesn’t change at all with the delegation of determinations to inspectors.

“The community engagement statutory consultees and the policy framework all remain exactly the same.”

Ms Evans added: “Just to emphasise again that there is no change whatsoever to requirements around community engagement.”