News
Delegation Scheme Could Offer More Freedom
Further to our earlier blog on this matter, recent news coming from the government suggests a change of direction for what councils should expect in respect of the rules for determining planning applications… The Government’s proposed national scheme of delegation has sparked considerable debate across the planning sector, but recent comments from Planning Minister Matthew…
Read MoreWill the Revised NPPF be Published Before Parliament’s Summer Recess?
The planning sector waits for clarity in wake of Keir Starmer’s resignation… The planning industry had been expecting the publication of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) this summer, but recent political developments have introduced fresh uncertainty over the timetable. The draft revised NPPF, published in December 2025, represented one of the most significant…
Read MoreDelay for NSOD implementation
The government has confirmed a one-month delay to the introduction of England’s new National Scheme of Delegation (NSOD), moving the implementation date from 30 September to 31 October 2026. What will this mean? While the delay provides local planning authorities (LPAs) with additional preparation time, it also comes with a clear warning: councils that fail…
Read MoreBNG Across Housing Sees Major Shift
The latest Defra consultation features a number of changes that will affect SME developers and self-builders… The UK government has confirmed a significant shift in how Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) will be applied across the housing sector – balancing environmental ambition with development practicality. Introduced under the Environment Act 2021 and enforced from 2024, BNG…
Read MoreAmbitious Plans for New Towns
The New Towns Taskforce (NTT) set out an ambitious vision for the next generation of large-scale development, first identifying 12 locations across England for potential growth, with the number now whittled down to seven… While framed as a revival of post-war ‘new towns’, the reality is more nuanced – and for planning professionals, far more…
Read MoreBe Planning Appeal-Ready from 1 April
New rules for planning appeals under the written representations procedure come into force on the first day of April, with the aim of speeding up the process, but this throws up some additional risks for the industry… From 1 April 2026, the rules governing the vast majority of planning appeals in England are changing –…
Read MoreHope for the Ox-Cam Corridor?
A ‘supreme planning authority’ could revive the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor… The Oxford–Cambridge Corridor has long been promoted as one of the UK’s greatest untapped economic opportunities. Stretching across roughly 100 miles and connecting two world-leading university cities, the corridor has the potential to become a powerhouse for science, technology, innovation and housing delivery. Yet despite ambitious…
Read MoreBiodiversity Net Gain: A welcome shift for SME developers
A recent government announcement has offered a lifeline for smaller developers, whose hands have been tied by BNG regulations… The government has announced a significant change in how Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) will apply to small development sites, confirming that schemes below 0.2 hectares will be exempt from the requirement to deliver a minimum 10%…
Read MoreA Busy Month for the Planning Industry
The past month has brought one of the most significant waves of planning reform announcements in years, with the government pursuing an aggressive strategy to accelerate housing delivery, cut perceived bureaucracy, and reconfigure the relationship between central and local decision-making… First, in the Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed a substantial £48 million boost to…
Read More1.5m Homes Target: Ambition or Illusion?
The Government’s pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament has again made headlines – and not for the right reasons… The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has written to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), with a warning that the government is going to miss its target of building 1.5…
Read More