Ms Huws' article appears in Welsh language magazine, Barn

Writing in a Welsh-language magazine, Meri Huws said the debate on the language's future had to tackle "immigration and emigration".

She also claimed attempts by local authorities to use planning rules were being undermined by a lack of support.

The political parties gave a mixed reaction to her comments.

In the article in Barn (Opinion), Ms Huws said Wales "has moved on since the days when subjects like emigration and immigration were things that people were scared to discuss."

'Priority'

She argued the debate on the future of the language needed to move away from "safe" areas like bilingual signs and Welsh lessons for adults.

Her article suggested native Welsh areas need a specific economic development body such as �dar�s na Gaeltachta, which attracts investment to the Gaeltacht, the Gaelic speaking regions in Ireland.

Ms Huws also claimed there was a lack of national leadership in the field of housing planning, where attempts by local authorities such as Gwynedd council, she said, were undermined by a lack of support at a national level.

She finished the article by saying that "maintaining the percentage of people who speak Welsh in the north and the west must be a priority in any attempt to promote the language.

"Simply increasing the numbers across Wales is not enough any more."

Meri Huws was appointed chair of the Welsh Language Board in 2004

Ms Huws was appointed as chair of the language board in August 2004 by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Welsh Conservative leader Nick Bourne questioned Ms Huws' timing in writing the article.

"Controversial comments such as this are best left until after an election period," he said.

Mr Bourne said he believed Ms Huws' assessment was wrong and a spokesperson on his behalf said: "a lot of English speaking people moving into Welsh speaking areas have ensured that their children learn Welsh".

He also said he thought some Welsh speaking communities had been affected by people buying second homes in those areas, but not through immigration.

A spokesperson for Welsh Labour said: "Meri Huws is offering a very particular analysis - certainly not the only analysis, and one which can clearly be disputed.

"Labour's view is that there is no sustainable future for the Welsh language if it simply retreats to some mythical heartland.

"For us, a young person brought up to speak Welsh in Newport is just as valuable as a young person brought up to speak Welsh in Caernarfon.

"Ms Huws may disagree with aspects of the national strategy, but she is certainly mistaken in describing her difference of view as an "absence" of leadership."

Ms Huws says more than bilingual signs needs to be debated

A Liberal Democrat spokesman said the party would "develop and expand language action areas to help reverse the trend towards de-population and ensure a welcome and integration for those moving into Welsh-speaking communities.

"These plans would include promotion of Welsh as a community language, in all tiers of education, for passing down through generations and for business development.

"This would be alongside our plans to give citizens the right to service in Welsh from public bodies and giving Welsh and English official language status."

However, Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said there was a "growing political consensus on the future of the Welsh language".

"There is growing agreement on increasing Welsh language education provision, further Welsh language legislation and reforming housing planning processes," he added.