Planning

All Standard Notes
50 Documents
DateDescription
11.06.2013Planning Reform Proposals
This note sets out recent Government proposals to reform certain aspects of planning law and policy.
04.06.2013Neighbourhood planning
The Localism Act 2011 provided for a new neighbourhood planning regime. The Act allows parish councils and groups of people from the community, called neighbourhood forums, to formulate Neighbourhood Development Plans and Orders, which can guide and shape development in a particular area. This note provides more information on this regime.
22.05.2013Revocation of planning permission
This note covers the rarely-used procedure that occasionally allows planning permission to be revoked after it has been granted.
22.05.2013Community Infrastructure Levy
This note covers the method of financing infrastructure called Community Infrastructure Levy.
15.05.2013Planning for Housing
This note sets out how local authorities plan for housing and Government planning policies to try to encourage more homes to be built.
15.05.2013Planning Use Class Orders
Planning consent is often required for change of land use but the Use Class Order defines changes that do not require such consent
15.05.2013Permitted Development Rights
This note sets out issues related to permitted development rights - rights to make certain changes to a building without the need for planning permission and Government proposals for change in this area.
14.01.2013Green Belt
This note describes the Government's policy on the green belt, related plannning restrictions and concern over Green belt changes.
29.08.2012Gypsies and Travellers: unauthorised development
This note covers issues arising when Gypsies and Travellers own land but develop it without planning permission
17.07.2012Wind Farm consents - offshore
13.07.2012Planning for Constituency Cases
This note aims to assist MP's staff in replying to constiteuncy planning questions
12.07.2012Planning and Flooding
This note describes Government policies to prevent building on unprotected flood plains.
05.07.2012Consents for Wind Farms - Onshore
This note explains the planning procedure for wind farms and discusses why such a high proportion of onshore wind farm proposals are rejected
05.07.2012Wind Farms - Distance from housing
This notes deals with the issue of a separation distance between wind farms and housing.
19.06.2012Calling in a planning application
This note describes how the Secretary of State can call in a planning application to determine it herself, after a public inquiry.
14.06.2012Enforcement of planning law
This note covers planning authorities' powers to enforce planning law, including development undertaken without planning consent
15.05.2012Major Infrastructure Planning
This note deals with how applications for major infrastructure projects of national importance are decided.
15.05.2012Enterprise Zones
The Government has announced the location of 24 new Enterprise Zones in England. Businesses in these small areas will benefit from tax and planning concessions and superfast broadband.
08.05.2012London planning
London planning. By Christopher Barclay. SN/SC/1416.
08.05.2012Planning Obligations (planning gain or planning contribution)
This note describes how private sector developers contribute to infrastructure improvements.
08.05.2012Gypsies and travellers: camp sites and trespass
This note explains the law and Government policy relating to Gypsy and Traveller camps where there are accusations of trespass.
26.04.2012Listed Buildings in England
This note explains the rules for listed buildings and describes possible changes to the regime.
26.04.2012Planning and Parking
This note deals with the issue of how much parking space is required in new development.
26.04.2012Farm Diversification, Countryside and Planning
This note covers planning issues related to the countryside, including farm diversification
25.04.2012Housing Density and Gardens
This note considers whether Government pressure to build more houses in urban areas is resulting in so-called "garden grabbing"
25.04.2012Town centres, planning and supermarkets
This note describes Government proposals to amend planning guidance on out of town shopping, to encourage competition yet preserve town centres.
25.04.2012Playing fields and public open spaces
The note covers existing protection for open spaces - especially playing fields - against development
25.04.2012Agricultural occupancy condition
This note describes the system of agricultural occupancy conditions and the criteria for lifting them.
24.04.2012Telecoms masts - planning
This note covers planning issues relating to telecom masts (often for mobile phones) not safety issues
05.04.2012Publicity for planning application
This note describes the statutory publicity requirements before a planning application can be determined.
30.03.2012National Planning Policy Framework
The Government published the final version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF) on 27 March 2012. It replaced almost all planning guidance immediately, although planning authorities have twelve months in which to get their plans adopted.
27.03.2012Business run from home
This note explains the circumstances in which businesses run from home require planning consent
16.03.2012Planning Appeals: Procedure
This note covers procedures for administrative appeals against the rejection of planning applications
06.01.2012Do councillors have to follow the advice of officers in taking planning decisions?
This note considers if councillors on a planning committee have to follow recommendations by planning officers or risk losing an appeal
05.01.2012Councillors and planning applications
This note covers rules for local authority councillors who determine planning applications
16.11.2011Planning appeals: policy
This note covers the debate over third party rights of appeal against planning consent and the possibility of High court challenges.
02.11.2011Would the Localism Bill allow planning consent to be bought?
This note deals with whether a Government new clause in the Localism Bill would allow planning consent to be bought by the attraction of Community Infrastructure Levy or New Homes Bonus.
16.09.2011Localism Bill: Planning
This note highlights some important issues in the planning part of the Localism Bill as it completed its Commons stages and went to the House of Lords.
13.07.2011Energy from waste and incineration
This note looks at the role of energy from waste and incineration.
11.03.2011Tree Preservation Orders
This note covers the protection that the planning system offers for particular trees through tree preservation orders
08.03.2011Thames Gateway
This note covers issues arising from the massive development proposed on the Thames Gateway, including governance and planning
25.01.2011Planning: Uncompleted Development and Derelict Sites
This note describes the options for local authority intervention if a development has been left unfinished.
10.12.2010National Policy Statements
National Policy Statements (NPSs) derived from the Labour Government's attempt to reform the procedure for granting consent for major infrastructure projects in the Planning Act 2008.
19.11.2010Houses in multiple occupation & the Use Classes Order
This note explains the change to the Use Classes Order to require that planning permission is obtained before a property can be converted to an HMO.
24.09.2010Compulsory purchase and compensation
This note gives a brief overview of some of the main rules relating to compulsory purchase and the calculation of compensation
21.06.2010Human Rights Act and planning
This note discusses how the European Convention on Human Rights affects UK planning law
24.05.2010Planning under the Labour Government
14.04.2010Transport and Works Act 1992
This Note explains why the TWA was introduced and how it works.
10.02.2010Green belt - sales of small plots
This note covers green belt sales of small plots without planning consent to those who hope that the planning designation will one day be changed
16.04.2009Planning application by local authority
This note covers issues arising when a local authority grants planning permission to itself
All Research Papers
10 Documents
DateDescription
19.06.2013Comparison of the planning systems in the four UK countries
This paper has been prepared as an initiative of the Inter-Parliamentary Research and Information Network (IPRIN) with contributions from research staff working for each of the four UK legislatures.
13.12.2012Growth and Infrastructure Bill: Committee Stage Report
This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Growth and Infrastructure Bill. It complements Research Paper 12/61 prepared for Commons Second Reading
01.11.2012Growth and Infrastructure Bill
The Growth and Infrastructure Bill seeks to reduce delays in the planning system and to facilitate new development, through various means. It would allow planning obligations (section 106 agreements) relating to affordable housing to be renegotiated. To promote economic growth, it makes provision for a planned revaluation of business rates in England to be postponed and to create a new employment status of employee owner. Its second reading date has been moved from 30 October to 5 November 2012.
03.10.2012Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill: Committee Stage Report
This is a report on the Public Bill Committee Stage of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill. It is designed to complement the Research Paper Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill (RP 12/33), which covers in more detail the background to the Bill
07.06.2012Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill
The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill introduces reforms in a number of areas.
12.04.2011Localism Bill: Committee Stage Report
This paper covers the Commons Committee Stage of the Bill, and complements Research Papers 11/02 and 11/03, prepared for Second Reading. The Bill covers a wide range of topics in local government, planning, housing and the governance of London. It was not substantially amended in Committee, although there were some minor technical Government amendments. However, at several points, Ministers agreed to look again at certain issues and consider whether to introduce amendments at Report Stage.
11.01.2011Localism Bill: Planning and Housing
This paper covers three parts of the Bill: Part 5 of the Bill will abolish regional planning, introduce a neighbourhood planning regime and abolish the Infrastructure Planning Commission. Part 6 of the Bill will make significant changes to the way in which social housing is provided and will also repeal the legislation governing the provision of Home Information Packs (HIPs). This Part includes provisions that will enable the long awaited reform of council housing finance. Part 7 of the Bill will make changes to housing and regeneration functions in London. It will abolish the London Development Agency and introduce a regime for Mayoral Development Corporations. Changes to Greater London Authority governance will allow the delegation of functions by Ministers to the Mayor.
07.03.2008Planning Bill: Committee Stage Report
(Bill 71 of 2007-08)
06.12.2007Planning Bill
31.01.2007The Land Use (Gardens Protection etc) Bill