Producers of essential minerals in Wales have called on the new Welsh Government to increase housebuilding, invest in infrastructure and streamline planning in a new report.
In Priorities for Wales, Mineral Products Association (MPA) Cymru sets out a series of practical recommendations to boost growth by supporting companies that supply aggregates, concrete, asphalt and other essentials for new homes and infrastructure in Wales.
Based on data from several sources, the report highlights how the Welsh mineral products sector, which directly employs almost 4,000 people and produces 22 million tonnes of materials annually, contributes £700 million to Wales’ economy every year.
However, MPA Cymru argues that barriers in planning and permitting, an escalating tax burden, and high energy costs are deterring investment and undermining the sector’s ability to support the Welsh Government’s economic and environmental ambitions.
Calling for action to address these challenges, the report makes a series of recommendations, including promoting construction through a national all-tenure housebuilding target and measures to facilitate new infrastructure projects, mineral planning reforms aimed at ensuring future demand for construction materials can be met, and no further increases to devolved business taxes.
MPA chief executive Paul Adeleke said:
“Wales needs mineral products for construction and manufacturing. The materials our sector produces are vital for the homes, hospitals, schools, roads, railways, and energy and water infrastructure that we all rely on every day.
“We’re fortunate in Wales to have abundant resources of these essential minerals, but we cannot take our ability to extract, process, and supply them for granted. The new government in Cardiff Bay has a golden opportunity to address the challenges that pose a threat to the supply of these materials – energy costs, depressed construction activity, planning bureaucracy, and a spiralling cumulative tax burden.”
“That means the Welsh government backing the use of locally sourced concrete in offshore wind projects, supporting carbon capture and new nuclear power generation, investing in road and rail infrastructure, building more houses for all, streamlining mineral planning and permitting, and not increasing taxes like business rates or Landfill Disposals Tax in the next Budget.”
“The mineral products sector has huge potential to help the new Welsh government achieve its goals for society, economy and the environment in Wales. Our recommendations explain what the government needs to do to allow that to happen.”
The full report can be viewed on the MPA website:
ENGLISH VERSION https://mineralproducts.org/MPA/media/root/Publications/2026/Priorities_for_Wales_2026_English.pdf
WELSH VERSION https://mineralproducts.org/MPA/media/root/Publications/2026/Priorities-for-Wales_2026_Welsh.pdf
