Room 106, the gloomy underground vault where all the latest planning announcements and decisions are issued, to pull out the key information for you. This week, we’re going to take a closer look at: The housing secretary Angela Rayner blocking a council’s bid to allocate a site in a special protection area for up to 1,250 homes in its emerging local plan A Labour Party councillor losing the party whip after being caught making anonymous online posts defending the council’s proposed release of gr...
Aug 20, 2025•17 min•Season 2025Ep. 161
Room 106, the gloomy underground vault where all the latest planning announcements and decisions are issued, to pull out the key information for you. This week, we’re going to take a closer look at: • The housing secretary Angela Rayner giving the Chinese embassy two weeks to “comprehensively” explain why new building plans have been redacted • A planning inspector concluding that a council’s net zero requirement in a 2,200-home garden village plan is “consistent with national policy” more than ...
Aug 13, 2025•22 min•Season 2025Ep. 160
In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing our exclusive report, which reveals when England’s busiest local authorities say they will hit key local plan preparation milestones, and when peaks and troughs in plan-making activity are predicted to occur. We’ll also examine how the Labour Party has performed against its own planning objectives in its first year in office. In addition, we round up the key planning news from the past week to make sure you are up to speed on all the goings-on in th...
Aug 07, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 159
In this episode we explore: The planning minister Matthew Pennycook appearing before two Parliamentary select committees - we discuss the planning highlights, including key announcements about developer contributions, affordable homes, viability guidance and new towns; The news that a promised government consultation on national development management policies will be delayed until later this year; A council ruling out green belt release in its draft local plan, despite meeting just over half of...
Jul 30, 2025•22 min•Season 2025Ep. 158
In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing our annual Planning Law Survey, which takes an in-depth and exclusive look at the most highly rated planning barristers, law firms and solicitors and the law firms with the biggest and fastest-growing planning teams. In addition, we round up the key planning news from the past week to make sure you are up to speed on all the goings-on in the sector. Key planning news, and why it is important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the ...
Jul 23, 2025•21 min•Season 2025Ep. 157
In this episode we explore: The key planning takeaways from the government’s English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which was published last week. A review by a planning advisory body that found that a council’s planning committee is perceived to be "operating with undue influence" amid probity "suspicions". A local authority that has proposed redefining four villages as towns to protect them from the new grey belt designation in national planning policy. In addition, we round up the...
Jul 17, 2025•21 min•Season 2025Ep. 156
This is the fourth edition of our new monthly series examining the key appeal and court decisions from the past four weeks. As before, we speak to technical editor David Dewar, who compiles the long-running Casebook section of Planning. This week, we will be discussing: Two notable appeal decisions – one of which show how a future drop in housing land supply can be an important material consideration for inspectors even if the current position is adequate and protected for the near future, while...
Jul 15, 2025•20 min•Season 2025Ep. 155
In this Deep Dive edition, we discuss how rising public concern about sewage pollution in rivers, plus inadequate levels of investment in water treatment capacity, is leading to thousands of new homes across England being blocked or postponed. Planning editor Richard Garlick and Planning special correspondent Joey Gardiner discuss Joey’s investigation into the issue, published by Planning last week. It shows how: water companies are recommending that many applications for homes are refused, or c...
Jul 09, 2025•27 min•Season 2025Ep. 154
This week, we will be discussing: The Planning Inspectorate announcing an expansion of the ‘simplified’ written appeal process to far more cases in an effort to speed up decisions. The government’s ten-year infrastructure strategy and what it means for planners. The government’s withdrawal of funding for neighbourhood planning support services. In addition, we’ll be rounding up the key planning news from the past week to make sure you’re up to speed on all the goings-on in the sector. Key planni...
Jul 02, 2025•20 min•Season 2025Ep. 153
In this Deep Dive edition, we discuss: Government proposals to boost developers’ build-out rates for consented housing sites The planning consultancies that employ the most female planners In addition, we’ll be rounding up the key planning news from the past week to make sure you’re up to speed on all the goings-on in the sector. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professional...
Jun 25, 2025•30 min•Season 2025Ep. 152
This week, we discuss: A local authority threatening legal action and blasting a planning inspector after their local plan was found to have failed the legal duty to cooperate. The housing ministry removing three councils from planning performance special measures. The key takeaways for planners from the government’s spending review. Keir Starmer announcing the launch of an AI tool, which promises to cut planning officers’ time. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the te...
Jun 19, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 151
In this Deep Dive edition, we will be examining: The growth of logistics developments – how the planning system is treating these kinds of schemes and the issues they present for planning professionals. Why commercial-to-residential permitted development applications have hit a record high. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years. Find the lates...
Jun 11, 2025•22 min•Season 2025Ep. 150
This week, we will be discussing a spate of big planning announcements from the government. We will be focusing on the proposed measures to: Increase developer’s build-out rates for permitted sites. Streamline planning committee decision-making, and toughen up one of the criteria for planning performance ‘special measures’ designation. Support smaller builders, including via significant revisions to the biodiversity net gain system. We’ll also be highlighting some of the key reaction to the prop...
Jun 04, 2025•26 min•Season 2025Ep. 149
In this Deep Dive edition, we will be examining: How councils and mayors that are now controlled by the Reform party will use their planning powers. What a recent Court of Appeal ruling means for the timing of when local authorities have to publish planning gain legal agreements. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years. Find the latest planning ...
May 30, 2025•21 min•Season 2025Ep. 148
This is the third edition of our new monthly series examining the key appeal and court decisions from the past four weeks. As before, we speak to technical editor David Dewar, who compiles the long-running Casebook section of Planning . This week, we will be discussing: Two notable appeal decisions – one of which considers how the new ‘golden rules’ for residential development on green belt apply to residential institutions in the C2 use class, while the other is a secretary of state decision on...
May 29, 2025•25 min•Season 2025Ep. 147
This week, we will be discussing: The High Court quashing an inspector’s rejection of 120 green belt homes because he failed to consider whether the scheme met the new ‘golden rules’ for green belt housebuilding. A minister allowing plans for a huge green belt data centre after finding that the proposal meets the new ‘grey belt’ and ‘inappropriate development’ tests in national planning policy. The launching of the first consultation on the next version of London’s overarching spatial strategy, ...
May 21, 2025•22 min•Season 2025Ep. 146
In this Deep Dive edition, we will be examining the six key lessons to be learned from planning inspectors about the dozens of appeal decisions that have been issued so far where the government’s new grey belt national policy is a key factor. We'll also highlight the two secretary of state decisions where the new grey belt policy test has been applied and explain what the policy is and how the tests work. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magaz...
May 14, 2025•31 min•Season 2025Ep. 145
This week, we will be discussing: The government’s amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Estimates of the bill's economic impact and concerns about its proposed changes to environmental rules. In addition, we will examine: Why a planning inspector has found that a council’s local plan has failed the legal duty to cooperate, and why the authority has reacted with anger. A High Court ruling upholding a consent for 133 homes that clarifies when a planning application is formally ‘made...
May 08, 2025•30 min•Season 2025Ep. 144
In this Deep Dive edition, we will be previewing the local and mayoral elections taking place later this week. We will be discussing: Where they are happening. What the results are expected to show at a national level. What this is likely to mean for planning and development at a local level. We will also highlight the key battlegrounds that are likely to have the greatest impact on planning and development. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning ma...
Apr 30, 2025•33 min•Season 2025Ep. 143
This week, we will be: Revealing the councils with the most grey belt land in England. Discussing the latest developments around how councils are reacting to the new grey belt national policy. In addition, we will examine: How two local authorities have avoided the housing delivery test’s most severe penalty after persuading central government to ‘recalculate’ their score. The first court ruling to outline the scope of a new “protected landscapes” legal duty. Key planning news, and why it’s impo...
Apr 23, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 142
This is the second edition of our new monthly series examining the key appeal and court decisions from the past four weeks. As before, we speak to technical editor David Dewar, who compiles the long-running Casebook section of Planning . This week, we will be discussing: Two notable appeal decisions, one of which centres on the flood risk sequential and exception tests in national policy and the other a secretary of state decision on plans for a motorway service station on green belt. How new na...
Apr 14, 2025•27 min•Season 2025Ep. 141
In this Deep Dive edition, we will be examining: Why a Court of Appeal ruling means that planners will need to pay greater attention to changes to national Planning Practice Guidance. Why councils are refunding householders hit by massive community infrastructure levy bills. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news ...
Apr 09, 2025•20 min•Season 2025Ep. 140
This week, we will be examining: The chancellor’s spring statement, in which she announced the independent fiscal watchdog’s forecasted impact of the government's revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on housing delivery and economic growth. The second reading of the government’s flagship Planning and Infrastructure Bill. A key green belt appeal decision, in which the new grey belt designation in national policy was a central consideration. Key planning news, and why it’s im...
Apr 02, 2025•27 min•Season 2025Ep. 139
In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be examining how and why a Cambridgeshire council's planning department implemented a four-day working week and the impact on its performance. We’ll also be rounding up the key planning news from the past week to make sure you’re up to speed on all the goings-on in the sector. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 ye...
Mar 27, 2025•17 min•Season 2025Ep. 138
This week, we are launching the first of a new monthly series examining the key appeal and court decisions from the past four weeks. Joining me is our technical editor David Dewar who compiles our long-running Casebook section of Planning 's weekly bulletin and formerly the magazine, which highlights the key appeal and legal decisions from that week. This week, we will be discussing: Two notable green belt appeal decisions, one of which concerns the new grey belt designation in national policy a...
Mar 24, 2025•20 min•Season 2025Ep. 137
This week, we will be examining the government’s publication of its flagship Planning and Infrastructure Bill, focusing on the following measures: Allowing councils to set their own planning application fees up to the level of cost recovery. Changing decision-making by planning committees. Introducing formal strategic planning arrangements. Setting up a centralised nature restoration fund that developers would contribute to. In addition, we discuss the housing ministry’s simultaneous announcemen...
Mar 19, 2025•29 min•Season 2025Ep. 136
In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be examining: Why many developers are predicting that planning application volumes – particularly for new homes – will rise sharply this year following the Labour government’s wide-ranging changes to the planning system. Whether the planning system will be able to cope in the event of a hike in application numbers. We’ll also be rounding up the key planning news from the past week, including the publication of the government’s flagship Planning and Infrastructure...
Mar 13, 2025•26 min•Season 2025Ep. 135
This week, we will be focusing on new planning guidance that’s been published by the housing ministry. We will be discussing: The long-awaited new guidance on how new national planning policy on green belt should be applied. Other new guidance on development on brownfield land, transitional arrangements for joint local plans, and how planners should take account of new local nature recovery strategies. In addition, we will be talking about the government announcing that it will take forward key ...
Mar 05, 2025•28 min•Season 2025Ep. 134
In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing the government’s plans to accelerate the involvement of statutory consultees, such as government agencies, in the planning process. We’ll examine why: There are concerns about the role of such bodies in planning. How justified these concerns are. How the government is likely to respond to the issue. We’ll also be rounding up the other key news from the past week to make sure you’re up to speed on all the goings-on in the planning sector. Key plannin...
Feb 26, 2025•27 min•Season 2025Ep. 133
This week, we will be focusing on a series of planning announcements made last week by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and housing secretary Angela Rayner. We'll be discussing: Where the proposals for new towns submitted to the government's task force have come from, what requirements they will have to meet, and what happens next. What type of housing schemes are going to be prioritised for attention under the Whitehall-backed New Homes Accelerator scheme, which offers planning support to unbloc...
Feb 20, 2025•26 min•Season 2025Ep. 132
