Chief Planning Officer’s newsletter
Joanna Averley, MHCLG’s Chief Planner, has issued her latest newsletter to local authorities.
It covers the new NPPF; the Planning & Infrastructure Bill; Planning Advisory Service events; funding for LPAs; planning skills and capacity survey results; consultation on cross-pavement solutions for electric vehicle charging; climate guidance by RTPI and TCPA; Neighbourhood Planning financial support and getting Sustainable Urban Drainage right from the start.
Housebuilding around train stations
Housebuilding near well-connected train stations will receive a default “yes” through a new National Planning Policy Framework, to be consulted on later in 2025. Details are here.
In addition, there is a set of changes to the Planning & Regeneration Bill, which the Government says is a “Pro-growth package unshackling Britain to get building”.
As part of it, Councils must inform Government when inclined to block applications of 150 homes or more. Ministers will make the decision instead. Applications called in will not have to go to an inquiry [more…]
Planning in London, Issue 135, Oct-Dec 2025
Issue 135 of Planning in London, the journal of the London Planning and Development Forum, has been released, covering the period October-December 2025. London Forum has an agreed subscription arrangement whereby our members may read it, but links are not available on this website.
Our AI-generated summary can be downloaded.
The full edition is not available on the website.
Planning in London, Issue 134, July-Sept 2025
Issue 134 of Planning in London, the journal of the London Planning and Development Forum, has been released, covering the period July-September 2025. London Forum has an agreed subscription arrangement whereby our members may read it.
The full edition is not available on the website.
Simplifying decisions
As London Forum reported, the Planning & Infrastructure Bill includes delegating planning decisions. The Government has issued a 15 question Working Paper consultation for
- Simplifying decisions for schemes below 10 homes to help small and medium builders (SMEs)
- Introducing a medium-sized site threshold up to 49 homes
There is another working paper on ‘Speeding up Build-out’ and for major developments, the Government is considering options for a mixed tenure development threshold at 500 units. Views on the right threshold are sought in this ‘Simplifying Decisions’ Working Paper. There will be [more…]
Planning in London, Issue 133, April-June 2025
Issue 133 of Planning in London, the journal of the London Planning and Development Forum, has been released, covering the period April-June 2025. London Forum has an agreed subscription arrangement whereby our members may read it.
The full edition is not available on the website.
Chief Planner’s newsletter Feb2025
Joanna Averley, the DHCLG Chief Planner, issued a newsletter on 11th February 2025. It covers a survey of local authority capacity and capability, corrections to the NPPF, the Land Use Framework consultation, fast-food outlets, compulsory purchase process and land compensation consultation, the duty to consult on felling of street trees and noise from new development.
Chief Planner’s newsletter to LPAs December 2024
Joanna Averley, the DHCLG Chief Planner, issued another newsletter on 19th December 2024 to local authorities requiring them to update their brownfield land register for 2024 by 31st December.
It seeks their views on a Development and Nature Recovery Working Paper, proposing developers pay into a ‘Nature Restoration Fund’. Also LPAs are asked to complete an online survey on a Green Infrastructure (GI) Framework. There is an explanation of the Government’s approach by the lawyer Nicola Gooch here.
An updated Criteria Document for improving planning performance for speed [more…]
Government Plan for Change
The Labour Government confirmed in July 2024 its five missions from its manifesto and its first six steps for change. A December 2024 Plan for Change sets “clear, measurable milestones” for each of the missions and the Prime Minister gave a speech to explain it. One milestone is building 1.5 million homes in England and fast-tracking planning decisions on at least 150 major economic infrastructure projects.
To support its aims, the Government has published a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to drive local planning [more…]
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Protection for Public Green Space
The Government will review the fragmented and outdated nature of current legislative protections for public recreational green spaces, assess how ...
![Greenwich Park, London [Photo: Pexels]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Greenwich-Park-London-Pexels.jpg?fit=150%2C100&ssl=1)
Parks and Climate Change
The Heritage Fund worked with Historic England to better understand how the climate crisis is affecting the UK’s natural heritage ...
Ongoing District Line service problems
East Putney, Southfields, Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon stations together see over 29 million entries and exits a year but there ...
![TBM 'Florence' [Photo: HS2 ltd]](https://i0.wp.com/www.londonforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/HS2-Florence.jpg?fit=1501%2C1000&ssl=1)
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Will the London Plan deliver the housing and places London needs?
📆 Mon 14th September | 18:30 - 20:30
🚩 77 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL (map)
A last chance to shape the London Plan — join us next Monday. The draft London Plan proposes that 50% of all new homes be affordable. With competition for homes, industrial and other uses, some housing will be built in what is now Green Belt land. This is an important subject covering proposals for housing development in London for the next 20 years. Book now ( https://www.londonforum.org.uk/events/will-the-london-plan-deliver-the-housing-and-places-london-needs/#booking ) for this Open Meeting on Monday 14th September. We’ve invited the London Plan team to talk about: The amount of housing required to meet…
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Planning, Environment and Transport committee meeting
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🚩 Room B1 70 Cowcross St, EC1M 6EJ (map)