Room 106

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing a Planning report on the impact of growing local authority mergers on planning teams and asking why they are happening and what the benefits and challen…

In this episode, we discuss: 

• Why the Office for Place was axed, and what it means for design quality;
• What the planning minister revealed when he appeared before the Housing, Communities and Local Gov…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing a Planning report into England’s 30 busiest local planning authorities, including: which councils are listed in the study; their application workload an…

In this issue, we will be discussing the following stories and asking whether they show a toughening of the government’s line against local authorities that it believes to be resisting development:

• Ho…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing a Planning investigation into how the new biodiversity net gain policy is bedding in six months after it was introduced, and highlighting a series of fi…

This week, we discuss:

• Research by housebuilders on how much unspent developer contribution cash councils are holding onto in their reserves;
• Further local plans falling victim to the new hardline appr…

In this Deep Dive edition, we'll be discussing: 

• How draft National Planning Policy Framework revisions would allow more green belt applications to avoid going through the tough “very special circumst…

This week, we discuss:

• Why planning consultants and lawyers are alarmed about new requirements for the early submission of planning obligation agreements as part of written representation appeals; 
• Thr…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing:

• Why so many local authorities are spending money on agency staff to work in their planning teams, what problems this causes, and how councils can make b…

In this edition, we examine:

• The key news from last week’s Labour Party conference in Liverpool, including a possible delay to the publication of the final version of the new National Planning Policy …

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be examining two big proposed changes in the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF):

• What revisions to national policy on affordable housing would mean for pl…

This week, we discuss: 

• The High Court quashing the secretary of state’s controversial permission for a new coal mine in Cumbria; 
• Planning inspectors recommending that a council withdraws its local pl…

In this Deep Dive, we discuss: 

• What the proposed cutting of 'beauty' references in the draft NPPF would mean for planners;
• What the government’s plans to more than double householder application fees …

In this episode, we discuss: 

• Why councils faced with hikes in housing requirements under Labour’s proposed changes to the assessment method are accelerating plan preparation;
• What we know about the go…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing the five circumstances that are “exceptional” enough to justify releasing green belt in local plans – including the extent of local need – and why, if L…

In this episode, we will be discussing:

• A local authority revealing an unauthorised £826,000 overspend in its planning budget due to a huge application backlog; 
• How a number of councils halting local …

In this Deep Dive edition, we examine:

• How and why a unitary authority is making an unusually big investment in its planning service;
• How the proposed National Planning Policy Framework revisions would…

In this episode, we look in more detail at the government's big planning announcements last week. 

We discuss: 

• The councils that would see their housing need rise most under the government’s proposed …

In this episode, we summarise key changes proposed in the government’s draft revised National Planning Policy Framework, as well as initial reaction from the sector.

Key planning news, and why it’s im…

In this episode, we will be discussing the first King’s Speech since the new Labour government was elected, which featured two bills proposing changes to the planning system.

We will also look at:

• The …