Planning


Calls for a national tall buildings policy 24/01/2022 A charity has called for a new tall buildings policy to stop high-rises undermining the form and character of cities.
Councils chosen to pilot planning schemes 12/01/2022 People living in deprived and urban areas will be encouraged to engage more with the planning system under new schemes being piloted by 11 councils.
Developments expected to deliver 10% boost to biodiversity 11/01/2022 The Government has launched a consultation that aims to ensure wildlife can be better protected and enhanced in future developments.
Fund planners to solve housing crisis - Lords 07/01/2022 Peers have said council planning departments must be better resourced to prevent an ‘emerging crisis’.
Nottingham council approves Trent cycle bridge 24/12/2021 Nottingham councillors have approved a location for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the River Trent following a recent public consultation.
Council gives green light to solar farm 22/12/2021 South Oxfordshire District Council has given the green light to plans for a new solar farm despite objections that it would disrupt public rights of way.
The greenfield / brownfield debate 20/12/2021 David Churchill, partner, Carter Jonas London examines the ongoing greenfield / brownfield debate.
Council withdraws CPO over problems with Beam Park Station 08/12/2021 Havering Council has decided to withdraw a compulsory purchase order (CPO) due to doubts over the future of plans to build a new station.
Counties call for strategic planning model 08/12/2021 County councils are facing 'excessive' pressures on their infrastructure due to housing development, according to a new report.
What are Biodiversity Net Gains? 02/12/2021 Paul Beaney explains how local authorities can prepare for Biodiversity Net Gain, which is slated to become law in 2023.
Gove warned of climate change floods risk 22/11/2021 Local government secretary Michael Gove was today urged to align UK housing policy with climate change.
Undeveloped brownfield at record levels, charity finds 18/11/2021 The amount of undeveloped brownfield land suitable for housing in England has hit a record high, according to new research.
Bucks takes dispute over HS2 lorry routes to court 15/11/2021 Buckinghamshire Council has issued High Court challenges against six decisions by the Planning Inspectorate in a dispute over lorry routes for HS2 construction.
Shapps outlines planning reforms for better lorry parking 09/11/2021 Planning reforms will help deliver more lorry parking and better services in lorry parks, the secretary of transport has said.
Government must engage with councils on climate action 29/10/2021 MPs have called for the Government to ‘immediately’ begin working with councils on setting out their role in reducing carbon emissions.
Councils selected for £1m digital engagement trials 25/10/2021 Thirteen local areas are to share £1m of Government funding as part of an initiative to boost public engagement with the planning process through digital innovations.
Report calls for communities to be given more power over planning 25/10/2021 Local people should have more decision-making powers over new developments in their neighbourhoods, a report for a think tank has argued.
Wokingham council gives green light to Hollywood-style film studios 21/10/2021 Wokingham Borough Council’s planning committee has given the go ahead for film and television studios at a site in Shinfield.
Plans for new children's hospital submitted to Cambridge City Council 12/10/2021 Plans for the first dedicated children’s hospital in the East of England have been submitted to Cambridge City Council.
Are we missing a trick? How Brownfield can unlock levelling up 06/10/2021 Matthew Farrow outlines a series of proposals to encourage brownfield development
Access to nature should 'be set in law' 05/10/2021 A legally binding target to ensure everyone has access to nature should be introduced into planning law, a new report has argued today.
Report calls for new 'greenfield surcharge' on developments 29/09/2021 A 'greenfield surcharge' should be introduced to help encourage brownfield development, according to a new report.
From the millennium bug to online only: How planning systems have changed in 20 years 28/09/2021 Tim Bartlett reflects on his first days in the job implementing a new planning system, and how that very same planning system has continuously improved, updated and adapted over the last 20 years.
Council set to block ‘undemocratic’ PDRs 23/09/2021 Reading Borough Council is set to block the use of permitted development rights (PDRs) which it describes as ‘undemocratic’ and responsible for ‘substandard accommodation’.
Blackpool Council threatens action over plans to house hundreds of asylum seekers in hotel 10/09/2021 Blackpool Council has warned planning permission will be required to use Metropole Hotel to house hundreds of asylum seekers.
Council forced to quash planning decisions made in error 09/09/2021 A Kent council has launched an investigation after five planning applications were accidentally approved during testing of software.
Meeting new planning requirements for trees 07/09/2021 Concrete block permeable paving offers an important opportunity to help satisfy the requirement for extensive tree planting and retention of existing trees in developments. Chris Hodson reports.
Government to consult on al fresco dining and pop-ups 06/09/2021 The Government has launched a public consultation on planning reforms that could give a boost to outdoor dining and pop-up markets.
Council chiefs warn rural communities risk missing out on vital services 31/08/2021 Rural areas are at risk of missing out on vital services due to a surge in the number of barns being converted into homes, local authority leaders have warned.
Report attacks councils’ ‘shameful’ undermining of Right to Build laws 23/08/2021 Some authorities have been ‘subverting’ legislation designed to encourage self-built homes, an independent report has found.
Croydon returns to drawing board on regeneration plans 17/08/2021 The council maintains delayed plans to develop a Westfield shopping centre are going ahead, despite planning permission for the development having expired.
Consultation on Greater Manchester development plan launched 10/08/2021 Residents of Greater Manchester were yesterday urged to take part in an eight-week public consultation on a new joint development plan for homes and jobs.
Planning policy, a logistical nightmare 09/08/2021 Consultancy Turley's Andrea Kellegher looks at how the industrial sector could drive economic recovery if councils could increase logistics land delivery.
Council agrees land deal for Eden Project North 06/08/2021 Lancaster City Council has agreed to transfer land for the £125m Eden Project North.
Jenrick primes inspectors for planning changes despite growing revolt 06/08/2021 Communities secretary Robert Jenrick has written to the chief of the Planning Inspectorate amid growing fears over a revolt over planning proposals.
Planning requirements on fire safety come into force 03/08/2021 New planning requirements on fire safety, known as planning gateway one, came into force this week.
Planning reforms 80% of shops on high streets could be lost 02/08/2021 New research has warned 80% of shops and other commercial premises on high streets across England could be lost under the expansion of permitted development rights.
Tighter planning rules to protect communities from flood risk 29/07/2021 Councils should ensure all planning applications made in flood risk areas are referred to ministers for approval, under new guidance published today.
Residents call for say in local housing developments 27/07/2021 Councils are calling for the removal of permitted development rights, warning they prevent local residents from commenting and objecting to developments.
Councils ‘resistant’ to repurposing empty commercial space 20/07/2021 A think tank has accused local authorities of being ‘resistant’ to measures that could see empty retail spaces repurposed for housing.
Trees: The critical role of local authorities to protect and expand the urban forest 09/07/2021 Sue James explains how local authorities can ensure trees on both public and private land are protected and that urban canopy cover is increased where needed.
Reed accuses government of dropping devolution 07/07/2021 Shadow communities secretary Steve Reed has accused the Government of dropping its commitment to devolution.
Green light for UK's first gigaplant 07/07/2021 The UK's first battery gigaplant has been given planning permission by Northumberland County Council.
Councils urged to create 10-20 year plans 06/07/2021 Councils with a ‘credible’ local plan will be given extra powers and freedoms, the community secretary said today.
England’s first land commission publishes ‘radical proposals’ for land use 06/07/2021 England’s first commission to review the use of land for community wealth building has called for all land use to be directed towards achieving social well-being and environmental sustainability.
Three councils to test simplified planning apps 01/07/2021 Three councils have designed and are now testing two apps designed to speed up planning applications for housing extensions.
Housing and planning take centre stage at GeoPlace’s annual conference 28/06/2021 Over 879 people registered to attend this year’s GeoPlace’s 2021 conference, taking advantage of an online format that enabled delegates to interact with speakers presenting on this year’s theme, ‘Places for People’.
Councils urged to support ‘pop up’ campsites this summer 28/06/2021 The Government is urging local authorities to support the extension of ‘pop-up’ campsites across England this summer to help meet the surge in demand for staycations.
District urges Government to rethink Stansted Airport expansion plans 11/06/2021 The planning inspectorate’s decision to allow an appeal over the expansion of Stansted Airport has been branded an ‘insult to local democracy’ by the leader of Uttlesford District Council.
MPs call for councils to be given more powers to tackle ‘land banking’ 10/06/2021 Local authorities should be granted more powers to act where developers are too slow in completing sites they have planning permission for, MPs say.
Oxford-Cambridge Arc: environment actions not rhetoric 04/06/2021 Cllr Bridget Smith outlines the five Principles that will turn the Ox-Cam region into a ‘Green Arc.’
Developers challenge accusations of 'land banking' 02/06/2021 A new report challenges the Local Government Association’s (LGA) claim that the housing crisis is largely down to a reluctance by developers to build and argues that the real problem is a shortage of planning permissions.
10 councils chosen to pilot digital planning tools 02/06/2021 The use of digital tools in the planning process will be tested by 10 councils as part of a Government pilot.
Report calls for greater council powers to protect future of high street 26/05/2021 Councils and local communities should be given more power to decide the future of their high streets, a new report has argued today.
Councils given £50,000 to develop design codes 24/05/2021 Planners have welcomed the Government’s announcement that 14 local authorities will be given £50,000 each to develop new design codes but called for more funds for local planning teams.
Scrap permitted development rights, council chiefs say 17/05/2021 Office blocks left empty following the pandemic risk being turned into substandard housing because of permitted development rights (PDRs), council chiefs say.
Queen’s Speech: New law to ‘modernise’ planning system 11/05/2021 The Government has pledged to push ahead with reforms to the planning system in order to meet house-building targets.
Queen's Speech: No social care solution in sight 11/05/2021 The Queen’s Speech has said proposals on social care reform will be brought forward – but it fell short of a commitment to legislation in this Parliament.
Over 1.1 million homes with planning permission waiting to be built, LGA finds 10/05/2021 Council chiefs are calling for more powers to incentivise developers to build more quickly as new figures reveal over a million homes are waiting to be built.
Queen's speech: PM's 'live local and prosper' promise 09/05/2021 Levelling up, boosting the economy and backing the NHS are set to be the priorities for Tuesday’s Queen’s speech.
Planning reform will lead to ‘tide of car traffic’, campaigners say 06/05/2021 Ten organisations have written to housing secretary Robert Jenrick urging changes to proposed planning reforms which they argue will lead to a ‘tide of car traffic’ to already overcrowded roads.
Government's housing test is 'toothless', consultancy claims 28/04/2021 Government measures to push councils into meeting their housing targets are ‘toothless’, a development consultancy has claimed.
Funds unveiled to support uptake of neighbourhood planning 26/04/2021 The Government is urging local planning authorities to apply for funding or take part in a pilot project to boost the uptake of neighbourhood planning.
Housing reforms should help SMEs obtain land, think tank says 15/04/2021 There should be less focus on planning permissions and more reforms helping SME house builders access land, report says.
Eastleigh BC permits airport expansion planning application 12/04/2021 Eastleigh Borough Council has decided to permit the planning application to extend Southampton Airport’s runway.
'Digital twin' of Bradford city centre to be created 12/04/2021 A new project to virtually ‘clone’ Bradford city centre has been unveiled.
Councils urged to make off-site affordable housing a higher priority 08/04/2021 A greater emphasis needs to be placed on delivering affordable housing through off-site allocations, a new report says.
Controversial planning laws threaten to do ‘more harm than good’ 31/03/2021 New planning laws coming into force today will allow commercial premises to be converted into homes without requiring a full planning application.
Planning for climate power 25/03/2021 A new report from APSE Energy looks at the practical ways in which the power of planning can be harnessed to embed climate change ambitions, say Phil Brennan and Paul O’Brien.
East Midlands councils launch development corporation 24/03/2021 A consortium of local authorities in the East Midlands is taking a major step forwards with proposals to launch a body which could trial a new model for planning and cross-regional economic development.
MPs launch inquiry into controversial permitted development rights 24/03/2021 The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has launched a new inquiry to examine the Government’s approach to permitted development rights (PDRs).
Private outdoor space for public housing: how much is enough? 23/03/2021 Recommendations for private outdoor space standards for public housing could help local authorities optimise those benefits for residents. Paul Miller reports.
Public inquiry to be held into Cumbrian coal mine 12/03/2021 The Government has 'called in' planing approval of a new coal mine near Whitehaven by Cumbria County Council.
Jenrick outlines measures to support al fresco dining 08/03/2021 Councils have been told pavement licenses will be extended for a further 12 months to support the reopening of outdoors hospitality.
The future of design guides and codes 05/03/2021 Jane Dann explains how the proposed National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code changes will impact on future design codes.
Beware the agent of change 26/02/2021 Tom Cosgrove explains what planning decisions should be made to avoid significant adverse impacts from noise.
Labour calls for council powers to intervene in high streets 25/02/2021 Proposals for councils to take over empty shops and a ‘wholesale reform’ of business rates have been put forward by Labour.
Pressure on Green Belt quadruples, warn campaigners 25/02/2021 More than a quarter of a million homes are proposed on greenfield land in advanced local plans, campaigners have warned.
Council gives go-ahead to Everton FC’s new stadium plans 24/02/2021 Liverpool City Council have approved Everton FC’s plans for a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock and a community-led legacy project at Goodison Park.
Think tank calls for a ‘street votes’ approach in the suburbs 17/02/2021 Local residents should be given the power to set their own local development rules at a street level, and share the wealth created by new housing, a think tank has proposed today.
Coalition warns 'uncontrolled conversions' will damage high streets 11/02/2021 A coalition of industry bodies have warned the Government's proposals for blanket permitted development right will damage high streets and add extra financial burdens on local authorities.
Planning inspector backs council over affordable housing decision 05/02/2021 Trafford Council was right to refuse permission for a new development that had no affordable housing, a planning inspector has ruled.
Councils urged to create local design code under new rules 01/02/2021 Councils will be required to create their own local design code to ensure all new housing developments meet local standards of quality and design.
The provision of employment space 01/02/2021 In a climate of negligible employment land release where are the unemployment to find employment? Andy Jansons reports.
Lack of data affecting decision on local energy projects, councils warn 26/01/2021 The majority of councils are struggling to access the data they need to make informed decisions around local energy projects, a new survey has revealed.
Councils urged to update their Local Plans 20/01/2021 A small number of councils are failing to keep their Local Plans up-to-date, the housing minister has warned.
Controversial statues to require planning permission before removal 18/01/2021 Individuals who want to remove any historic statue will now require listed building consent or planning permission, Robert Jenrick has announced.
Coalition publishes new vision for planning reforms 15/01/2021 The Government has been urged to rethink its ‘damaging’ reforms to the planning system and put people, climate and nature at its heart by a coalition of 18 organisations.
Could safe pedestrianisation secure a greener more prosperous future after COVID? 13/01/2021 Deborah Ainscough discusses the potential benefits of temporary pedestrianisation for local authorities and the safety considerations for pedestrianisation planning.
Report finds data problems in Brownfield Land Registers 12/01/2021 More than 348,000 homes could be built on unregistered brownfield land, an investigation has revealed.
Top 100: Our most popular local government stories of 2020 16/12/2020 Although the dispute over council pay caused the most stir in the local government sector this year, the impact of dealing with the pandemic obviously dominated the headlines as well.
Jenrick announces revised plan for housing algorithum 16/12/2020 The Government has announced a raft of new measures in an attempt to provide much-needed homes in urban areas and on brownfield sites.
Developers yet to apply for planning permission for over a million homes, councils find 11/12/2020 Developers have failed to seek planning permission for more than a million homes on land earmarked for development by councils, according to new research.
Thousands of councillors call for rethink on planning reforms 10/12/2020 Over 2,000 councillors have called on the Government to rethink its planning proposals, warning the changes will lead to an ‘unacceptable loss’ of local democracy and scrutiny.
Jenrick outlines fast track planning service for public buildings 04/12/2020 Councils will have a legal duty to make decisions on new schools and hospitals within 10 weeks under reforms to the planning system.
London boroughs accused of ‘optimism bias’ on housing targets 04/12/2020 London could face a 86,000 shortfall of new homes over the next decade due to 'over optimistic projections', new research has argued.
Shops to open longer in run up to Christmas 01/12/2020 Retailers will be able to extend their daily opening hours from Monday to Saturday in the run up to Christmas and through January, the communities secretary has announced.
Garden communities – context and complexities 27/11/2020 David Churchill warns the Local Plan process could potentially cripple the delivering of ambitious long-term development projects.
Future affordable housing must deliver big on space 25/11/2020 Local authorities are under pressure to deliver more affordable housing but while the focus is largely on quantity, this shouldn’t come at the expense of quality, writes Jonathan Pearson.
Planning reforms could be a ‘set-back’ for affordable homes, survey warns 11/11/2020 The majority of social landlords (85%) have warned the Government’s planning reforms will lead to less social and affordable housing, according to the results of a new survey.

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Public Property

This issue of Public Property examines how how flexible workspaces can lead the way in regeneration for local authorities, Why local authority intervention is key to successful urban regeneration schemes and if the Government’s challenge of embracing beauty is an opportunity for communities.

The March issue also takes a closer look at Blackburn with Darwen Council's first digital health hub to help people gain control over health and care services.