Town planning 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.

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.

Consultations & Emerging Policy

Latest consultations and reports on government policy and guidance.

Fresh thinking on the DCP blog

How to identify a caravan
18 June 2021
In determining whether a log cabin within the curtilage of a house in Kent fell within the definition of a caravan, an inspector has set out useful relevant legislation and case law...
Otherwise
15 June 2021
In Cut down to size we reported an appeal case in which an inspector refused to sanction the retention of a fence which had been reduced to 2m in height, pointing out that permitted...
A difficult position
10 June 2021
In upholding a listed building enforcement notice directed at the replacement of a window at a 17th century farmhouse in Cheshire with French doors (DCS Number 400-031-136 ) an inspector...

Policy & Legislation News

Campaigners granted Court of Appeal hearing in bid to overturn permitted development and use class changes

By Michael Donnelly, 18 June 2021

Campaigners have revived their efforts to overturn the government's recent permitted development (PD) and use class changes by securing a hearing at the Court of Appeal, after their legal bid proved unsuccessful at the High Court last year.

How the parliamentary report on planning changes is likely to affect government thinking

By Ben Kochan, 17 June 2021

Ministers will find it hard to dismiss a heavyweight select committee report on its proposed planning changes, say observers. Among the recommendations they think are most likely to influence government thinking are a reconsideration of the proposals for new zonal-style local plans and the abolition of section 106 agreements.

Briefing Notes

Parliamentary briefing documents on adopted and emerging policy/legislation

Policy & Legislation In Depth

How to make a success of local design guides, by Graeme Bell

As the government starts to encourage local authorities to produce design guides, buy-in from all stakeholders is needed to create more beautiful and locally distinctive places.

How a government watchdog finding fault with one authority's population projections could spark widespread objections to local plans

A government regulator has identified errors in official population projections for a West Midlands city. Though the impact in the city itself is likely to be limited, say experts, the news is likely to embolden campaigners and disgruntled councillors to challenge greenfield housing allocations across England, particularly in and around cities with large student populations.

The challenges raised by the impending introduction of First Homes

Revised planning policies requiring a new form of affordable housing come into force at the end of this month. Local authority groups are worried that the new First Homes transitional arrangements could cause plan-making and decision-making delays, while some developer bodies suggest that applicants will seek to get their proposals determined before the requirement kicks in.

The implications of new fire safety requirements for planners and developers

Some practitioners are worried that new fire safety requirements for planning applications could add costs and delays for developers, particularly in the capital where, they say, the new London Plan makes even more onerous demands on this issue.

Why the government may have to backtrack on its proposals to grant permission through local plans

The government set out radical proposals to change local plans so they automatically confer outline permission on certain kinds of development in specific places. But the vaguely worded Queen’s Speech, a rash of local election losses in its South-East heartlands and immediate parliamentary opposition suggest ministers may be about to retreat.

Letter: 'Building Better, Building Beautiful' needs genuine community engagement

Getting communities involved in discussions about design codes might help them think of development differently, and about new possibilities for their local area.

How new PD rights for commercial and public buildings, ports and statues change the system: the Planning Briefing

Planners foresee plenty of interest in the new rights, and councils should be prepared for a flurry of applications in August.

Why an inspector's refusal of tiny permitted development flats on size grounds sets a precedent for decision-makers

A planning inspector's dismissal of plans to convert a chip ship into three tiny flats under permitted development (PD) rights because they would be too small to constitute housing is the first refusal on such grounds at appeal, say experts. The case, they say, sets a precedent that should in future help councils to reject similarly under-sized housing plans.

Policy & Legislation

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Adopted Legislation

Legislation In Progress

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