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Planning

Waltham Forest Vacancies

Take it to the bridge

The High Court recently dismissed a wide-ranging judicial review challenge to the proposed Oxpens Bridge in Oxford. Meyric Lewis KC explains why. Read more

  NEWS

  FEATURES AND ANALYSIS

March 28, 2025

Setting planning fees locally

Nagla Stevens looks at provisions in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025 that will allow local planning authorities to set planning application fees locally.
March 13, 2025

Recent appeals give colour to Grey Belt development uncertainty

Recent changes to the policy on Green Belt development in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) have led to a string of decisions relating to schemes on grey belt land. Hermione Kemp and Matthew Tucker explore what the changes mean in practice and the implications of the decisions below.
March 13, 2025

Cider house doesn't rule

Roderick Morton looks at the outcome of a High Court appeal against an enforcement notice on the grounds that the matters said to be a breach of planning control "have not occurred".
March 13, 2025

Cons & Pros

Simon Ricketts examines the Government’s proposals to reduce the number of statutory consultees in planning decisions and narrow the focus of those that remain.

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Mar 11, 2025

Planning and Infrastructure Bill to see introduction of national scheme of delegation and councils allowed to set planning fees

A national scheme of delegation setting out which types of applications should be determined by officers and which should go to committee, controls over the size of planning committees that will see “unwieldy” committees banned, and mandatory training for planning committee members are among the reforms set out in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduced in Parliament today (11 March).
Feb 10, 2025

Supreme Court to hear key case next week on ‘appropriate assessment’ and subsequent approvals

The Supreme Court will next week consider whether Regulation 63 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (“the Habitats Regulations”) require an ‘appropriate assessment’ to be undertaken for subsequent approvals after the grant of outline planning permission at a further consent stage, i.e. at the approval of reserved matters and discharge of conditions stages.

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February 28, 2025

Materially different developments and enforcement

Craig Howell Williams KC and Mark O’Brien O’Reilly examine the Mast Quay Phase II appeal decision, where an enforcement notice was upheld, and planning permission was granted subject to the making of numerous significant changes to the existing development and the payment of large financial contributions.
February 12, 2025

The role and relationship of NPPF and PPG

The Court of Appeal has provided guidance on flood risk policy and guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”) and Planning Practice Guidance (“PPG”), and the role and relationship of the NPPF and PPG more generally, writes Hugh Flanagan.
January 31, 2025

Planning reform: development and nature recovery

Stephen Tromans KC and Ned Helme consider the “Planning Reform Working Paper: Development and Nature Recovery” and how the Government’s aims of drastically increasing the rate of housebuilding and infrastructure development can proceed whilst also achieving the equally challenging commitments on net zero and ambitions for nature recovery.
January 24, 2025

Viva La Devolution!

Perhaps it is more like revolution, certainly rapid evolution, and possibly even in some respects the reverse of devolution, writes Simon Ricketts.
January 15, 2025

How green can be my development?

John Pugh-Smith looks at the steps needed to address the delivery of biodiversity net gain against the backdrop of the Government’s call for a surge in housebuilding.
January 15, 2025

NPPF 77 and housing land supply

Josef Cannon KC and Ryan Kohli consider an important High Court case concerning paragraph 77 of the National Planning Policy Framework and housing land supply.
December 11, 2024

Caravan site PD cannot trump enforcement notice

A borough council recently won an appeal against a First-tier Tribunal decision on conditions to be attached to a caravan site licence. Roderick Morton looks at the lessons from the ruling.
December 11, 2024

Installing telegraph poles

The High Court recently rejected a judicial review challenge to the erection of telegraph poles. Gabriel Nelson examines the ruling, which considered the relationship between the GDPO and the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003.
December 06, 2024

Service of claims and extension of time

A failure to abide by court rules meant that a judicial review claim challenging the grant of planning permission for the Bristol Sporting Quarter project failed at the first hurdle. Kary Withers explains why.
November 29, 2024

Highway to Homes

Thomas Horner looks at the role of infrastructure in housing development.