A council that this summer saw ministerial intervention in its local plan-making has voted to pursue judicial review and consider withdrawal as a fallback option, despite the planning minister cautioning that steps to withdraw the plan would be “unlawful”. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

England’s environmental watchdog has “broadly welcomed” the “positive intent” of the country’s first draft plan enabling developers to pay to mitigate pollution, but warned that the document “risks a lowering of environmental protection in practice”. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

A council has said it is “taking legal advice” after it was directed by the planning minister to proceed with a regulation 19 consultation on its draft local plan, and to submit the document for examination by the end of March next year. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

The chief executive of the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) has revealed that the body has reduced its resourcing of inspectors handling appeals to ensure that those examining local plans are prepared for the anticipated upcoming wave of plan submissions. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

The shadow housing minister has criticised imminent changes to the planning fees regime that would allow planning authorities to raise an estimated £144 million extra each year from applicants. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

The total area of land designated as green belt in England fell last year for the third year running, shrinking by 480 hectares in 2025/26, according to new government statistics. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

A High Court judge has quashed a council’s decision to approve a university college’s controversial plans to redevelop a library, following a legal challenge from a campaign group who claimed committee members had been “misled” over the heritage impacts. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

A district council has approved an outline planning application submitted by a property developer and a county council for 3,200 homes across four allocated sites on the outskirts of a town, after officers noted the area’s housing land supply shortfall. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

A High Court judge has granted a council's request for a permanent injunction to “restrain actual and anticipated breaches of planning control” at an illegal traveller site, finding the authority had “tried all of the enforcement measures in its armoury”. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

The planning minister Matthew Pennycook has pushed back by three months the end-of-year examination submission deadline for councils with draft local plans prepared under the current system if they reach the second formal consultation stage by 31 December. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

A planning consultancy has recruited four assistant planners to three of its offices. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

Planning consultancy Quod has announced the promotions of two planners and the move of an associate to its Leeds office. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

A planning consultancy has appointed a partner in its Bristol office. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

A planning solicitor has left one of the country’s 30 biggest law firms to join a competitor. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

A local authority has hired a town planner as interim director of planning. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

Some 6,000 homes could be delivered by a development corporation in the area around a key central London train station, according to a 30-year “housing-led vision” document published by the housing ministry. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

An inspector has allowed outline plans for up to 200 homes on green belt land of which half would be affordable, finding that the site should be considered grey belt and the area’s housing land supply was less than three years. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

A fourth local authority has rejected updating its constitution to align with the government’s impending national scheme of delegation, which limits the ability of elected members to make planning decisions. planningresource.co.uk/artic…

Ten local authorities escaped facing the housing delivery test’s harshest sanction under the 2024 test due to the government’s decision to delay the publication of the results. planningresource.co.uk/artic…