New working paper suggests small sites will be exempt from the requirement for 10% biodiversity net gain… The subject of biodiversity net gain (BNG) has been a bone of contention for smaller developers since the start, but a ray of hope has been offered by the government. As we have said previously, the requirement to…
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New guidance for design process puts the importance of health and wellbeing at the top of the agenda for planning… Apex Planning Consultant’s Paul Smith recently attended a seminar on health, wellbeing and planning organised by the RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) South East region. It took place on 7 May 2025 at the Milton…
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement may not have brought much joy to retailers and small businesses, with an increase in wages and National Insurance payments on the cards, but in the world of planning it looks like she may have offered a little hope. It all comes down to the suggestion that the money injected…
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We take a look at a recent white paper that delves into the question of where land for the government’s promised 1.5m new homes will be found… The Labour Government has made it clear that it intends to build 1.5 million new homes over its term in parliament. Yes, the UK has a shortage of…
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The government is pushing for the growth corridor to be ready by 2035, with a number of changes just announced… The Oxford-Cambridge arc has come into the spotlight, following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ promise that she is going ‘further and faster’ in a bid to get the economy moving. Reeves unveiled plans to deliver the Oxford-Cambridge…
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Can new home developers keep up with demands for technological, environmental and sustainable improvements from house buyers, while also making them affordable – and making a profit for themselves? Our latest article explores… More than just a house With the continued and rising demand for new homes – not least from the Labour Government –…
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Last week the government published the latest version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). We take a look at what this means for developers and local planning authorities… The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was revised on 12 December 2024. The Government stated that the revisions represented an ‘overhaul of the planning system to…
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Apex Planning Consultants is thrilled to sponsor the away kit for Newport Pagnell Town Panthers Under 13’s, joining MLG Healthcare, who sponsors the team’s home kit. The directors of both companies, Paul Smith and Ali Mir, are greatly impressed with the players’ embodiment of values that resonate with their own businesses: teamwork, goal-oriented focus, and…
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Following the recent New Towns Taskforce visit to Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, we consider how viable these new developments will be… New Towns Taskforce The chair of the new New Towns Taskforce, which held its first meeting in Milton Keynes, has identified that the area nearby has ‘considerable potential’ as the site of a New…
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Committed to getting Britain building again, the UK Government targets brownfield sites to access growth opportunities… The government is focusing on urban sites with a proposed ‘Brownfield Passport’, in a bid to speed up development on previously developed urban land. This could mean revitalising derelict or underused sites, advancing overlooked small plots, and optimising existing…
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