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Policy & Legislation
Policy, legislation and guidance produced by the government or its designated bodies. Use adopted sections if you wish to see only policy or legislation in force or emerging sections if you are looking for consultation documents where central government is inviting opinion prior to the implementation of policy or legislation.
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Adopted Policy & Guidance
Here you will find the most recently published government policy and guidance. These are all documents that have been adopted upon publication.
Adopted Legislation
Locate adopted legislation including Acts of Parliament and Statutory Instruments/Rules.
Consultations & Emerging Policy
Latest consultations and reports on government policy and guidance.
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Barriers facing small home building firms - Welsh Assembly consultation
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Planning Law in Wales - Final Report
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Net gain - Consultation proposals
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Government response to supporting housing delivery through developer contributions
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Compulsory community pre-application consultation for shale gas development
Legislation In Progress
Track the progress of legislation through the Westminster and Scottish Parliaments as well as the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies.
Fresh thinking on the DCP blog
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The use of jargon
Taken from a recent appeal decision involving the erection of 102 dwellings on two fields in Surrey (DCS Number 200-008-115 ): ‘Time depth’, as referred to by the Council, can derive... -
Demolishing the opposition
Pointing out that demolition constitutes development, an inspector has issued a certificate of lawfulness confirming the implementation of a scheme for the redevelopment of a pub in... -
Hedged about
A Hampshire resident’s argument that his 2m high perimeter fence was permitted development due to the existence of a hedge between the fence and the highway has been kicked to the kerb...
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Policy & Legislation News
National Infrastructure Commission to be tasked with examining airports expansion
The government is to ask its infrastructure advisory body to examine the case for additional runways at airports across the country, its draft aviation strategy has said.
High Court set to hear campaigners' NPPF legal challenge
Campaigners seeking to have the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) declared unlawful will have their case heard at the High Court tomorrow and said they expect a judgement to be issued by the end of January.
Key Topics
Guidance and legislation documents, news and in-depth coverage of key policy areas.
Briefing Notes
Parliamentary briefing documents on adopted and emerging policy/legislation
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Implementation of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 - Briefing paper
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Housing and Planning Bill: Report on Committee Stage
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Solar Farms: Funding, planning and impacts
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Nationally significant infrastructure projects and housing: briefing note
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Housing and Planning Bill briefing paper published
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Planning for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: Briefing Paper
Policy & Legislation In Depth
Day-to-day planning goes on amid ministerial change and policy churn, by Richard Garlick
It has felt like a momentous year for planning, and in this edition we do our best to round it up. The ministerial merry go-round has continued, with one new housing secretary and two new planning ministers.
Policy Summary: Giving councils greater flexibility to dispose of public land for housing
POLICY: Government consultation on disposal of local authority land.
Briefing: The implications of the new definition of housing site 'deliverability'
The government's new definition of housing site 'deliverability' introduces a tough test for councils and developers, says Mike Kiely.
Why the latest European Court habitats ruling further raises the bar for planners
The latest European Court ruling on protected habitats indicates that developers and planners should take a broader approach to assessing the impacts of plans and projects on such zones, though experts are divided on the significance of the ruling.
The authorities whose land supply targets are predicted to be changed by the Housing Delivery Test
Publication of the formal results from the new Housing Delivery Test for local authorities is likely to bring big changes to the five-year land supply position at a significant number of councils, according to experts.
How new homes figures could affect the impact of the government's delivery test
Following the publication of new homes figures, research by Planning suggests that more than a third of local authorities are set to face sanctions under the new housing delivery test.
Policy Summary: Government seeks views on compulsory shale gas scheme pre-application consultation
POLICY: Compulsory community pre-application consultation for shale gas development.
How the proposed merged high street use class could change town centres
Proposals for a new use class merging shops, financial services and restaurants could mean local authority planners losing control over town centre development, observers fear.
