About Planning Law
Lexis+ Planning helps you to understand planning requirements, procedures, policy, appeals and enforcement, for developments ranging from small-scale residential extensions to nationally significant infrastructure projects. Clear, concise practice notes have direct links to relevant cases, legislation, guidance and commentary and our daily news feeds and weekly highlights keep you informed of new cases, legislation, and consultations.
Get, change, implement planning permission
We cover all key aspects of the planning application process from the procedure, viability considerations, to decision-making and material considerations, to the duty to give reasons for planning decisions.
Planning issues in property
A series of Practice Notes and Checklists outlining the planning issues for a planning title in a property transaction. How information’s revealed, what to report on, and the significance of the findings for the buyer.
Compulsory purchase
Compulsory purchase is governed by complex legislation, case law and guidance. We provide the legal requirements and good practice to help customers navigate the procedure, scope of CPOs and opportunities for challenge.
Legislation, guidance and commentary
Planning requirements, procedures, policy, appeals and enforcement. We cover developments ranging from small-scale residential extensions to nationally significant infrastructure projects.
Topics We Cover
Latest Planning News
The Planning Inspectorate has announced that they will not be issuing decisions, reports or advisory letters in cases or examinations where known...
This week's edition of Planning weekly highlights includes: analysis of Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on development and nature...
The Chief Planner, Joanna Averley, has published a planning update newsletter for March 2025, written for the chief planning officers at...
Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) has issued a service update regarding Development of National Significance (DNS) applications. PEDW...
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has updated its planning application templates, specifically revising the Lawful...
Latest Planning Practice Notes
Energy performance certificates (EPCs)—energy assessor accreditation and energy assessmentsAn energy performance certificate (EPC) gives a property an...
The Marine Management Organisation1. Establishment of the Marine Management OrganisationThe Marine Management Organisation (MMO) was established on 1...
Energy performance certificates (EPCs)—what are they and when are they required?This Practice Note explains how energy performance in buildings is...
Environment Act 2021—snapshotTitleEnvironment Act 2021Key dateRoyal Assent: 9 November 2021SubjectEnvironmental principles, governance, regulation,...
Brexit—impact on environmental lawAs a result of the 23 June 2016 UK referendum on membership of the EU, which voted with a 52% majority voting in...
Latest Planning Precedents
Property development agreementDate [date]Parties1[name of Owner] [of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [number]) whose...
Precedent s 106 agreementAGREEMENTrelating toSection 106 of the Town And Country Planning Act 1990 [and [insert other legislation]] in relation to the...
Precedent s 106 unilateral undertakingUnilateral Undertakingunder section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990relating to development at...
Environmental Information Regulations 2004—log sheet for verbal request for environmental information1. Name of applicant[insert details]2. If the...
Environmental Information Regulations 2004, Data Protection Act 1998, Freedom of Information Act 2000—provision for disclosure by a local authority...
Latest Planning Q&As
Featured Planning content
Planning conditions—the six tests
Planning conditions—the six testsPowers to impose planning conditionsThe general powers for local planning authorities (LPAs) to impose conditions on...
Local planning authority as applicant for planning permission to itself
Local planning authority as applicant for planning permission to itselfLocal authorities are not immune from having to obtain planning permission to...
Section 215 notice requiring maintenance of land
Section 215 notice requiring maintenance of landIntroductionThe purpose of section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA 1990) is to...
Is there a limitation period for water authorities to require a build over agreement to be entered into (for example, if a building had been in existence for 12 years without a relevant build over agreement in place)? Are there any specific powers to require a build over agreement to be entered into retrospectively (if the authority owned the sewer prior to the 2011 transfer)?
Agricultural buildings and land: permitted development rights
Agricultural buildings and land: permitted development rightsPursuant to section 57 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA 1990), planning...
Is it possible to amend the red line boundary of a planning permission through an application made under section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, in circumstances where the change is minor, and where the size/boundary of the site is not stated in the description of the development?
Determining planning applications—procedure
Determining planning applications—procedureLegislation and guidanceThe statutory requirements relating to the determination of planning applications...
Dangerous buildings and structures
Dangerous buildings and structuresPowers of the local authorityThe local authority has powers to deal with dangerous buildings under a number of...
Failure to comply with planning enforcement—criminal liability and direct action
Failure to comply with planning enforcement—criminal liability and direct actionUnder the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA 1990), a breach of...
Defining the planning unit
Defining the planning unitWhy is it important to establish the planning unit?Pursuant to section 57 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA...
Are there any restrictions on amending the red line on a planning application before it is determined?
Implementing a CPO—notice to treat and General Vesting Declaration
Implementing a CPO—notice to treat and General Vesting DeclarationContextThe confirmation of a compulsory purchase order (CPO) does not vest title in...
Permitted development in Wales
Permitted development in WalesPlanning permission is required for the development of land. 'Development', which is defined in the Town and Country...
The Crichel Down Rules
The Crichel Down RulesThe Crichel Down Rules (the Rules) require that in certain circumstances, surplus government land that was acquired by, or under...
Local Development Orders
Local Development OrdersWhat is a Local Development Order (LDO)?An LDO is a local development order, made at local authority level by a local planning...
Offshore wind—permits and permissions
Offshore wind—permits and permissionsLegislative and policy context for offshore wind development in the UKUnder EU Directive 2009/28/EC (the EU...
Appropriation of land for planning purposes
Appropriation of land for planning purposesLocal authorities who have acquired land for a statutory purpose must hold that land for that purpose. They...
Planning inquiries
Planning inquiriesThere is a right of appeal against most local planning authority (LPA) decisions on planning applications and related applications....
Associated legal terms
Assets of Community Value
Local community groups can nominate buildings/land for listing as ACVs. When ACVs come up for sale or change ownership, a moratorium on the sale of up to six months can be invoked, giving local groups an opportunity to bid to buy the asset on the open market.
IPMS3
International Property Measurement Standard 3. Used for measuring the occupation of floor areas in exclusive use.
Public right of way
Highways that allow the public a legal right of passage, including footpaths, bridleways, Byways Open to All Traffic and restricted byways. PROW have the same legal status and protection as highways and remain in existence until legally closed, diverted or extinguished. It is a criminal offence to obstruct a PROW.
CONTACT US
