Ashford – The Ashford Local Plan 2030 was adopted in February 2019. Aylesbury Vale – The Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan 2013-2033 was adopted by Buckinghamshire Council as a Development Plan Document in September 2021. Basildon – Basildon Council withdrew its local plan in March 2022. The new LDS sets a timetable …

In this issue of Planning Ahead we have five articles. We review the Conservative Party Conference, look at yet another local plan being delayed and provide insights into the new DLUHC ministerial team. We also have two interesting snippets from the Government on planning consents and the size of the green …

Despite the claims of environmental groups that developers are ‘raping and pillaging’ the land, concreting over our green fields and desecrating our landscape, the amount of land designated as green belt in England actually rose last year. According to latest government statistics the green belt has grown by 24,150 hectares, …

The number of planning applications in England has fallen by 12 per cent, when compared with the same period in 2021. A total of 87,800 applications were granted between April and June 2022. Figures from DLUHC show that 8,700 residential and 1,800 commercial applications were granted, with falls of nine …

The new ministerial team at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and communities (DLUHC) is led by new Secretary of State, The Rt Hon Simon Clarke MP. The Minister for Local Government and Building Safety is Paul Scully MP, the Minister for Housing is Lee Rowley MP, the Minister for …

Basildon Council agreed last month the new LDS for its local plan, having withdrawn its previous one back in April. It has the new local plan adoption in 2027! This is the latest in a long line of councils dragging their feet – Uttlesford, St Albans, Castle Point, Hertsmere to …

As always, the annual party conference was a hectic affair, but this year had the added spice of yet another new Government and Prime Minister, but all did not go to plan! The ‘fiscal event’ the week before set the scene for the conference. The cutting of the higher tax …

This month we have four articles looking at this week’s local elections, levelling up, planning gain reform and the current shape of the local plan system. We also have our local plan updates and an invitation to a seminar on Housing Policy and Older People. Please do feel free to get …