Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023

The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (LURA 2023) received Royal Assent on 23 October 2023. It sets out significant reform of the planning system, including changes to developer contributions, environmental assessment, digital planning, the preparation of local plans, heritage protections, decision-making enforcement and compulsory purchase.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced the grant of Royal Assent in a statement published on 26 October 2023, stating that LURA 2023 would ‘speed up the planning system, hold developers to account, cut bureaucracy, and encourage more councils to put in place plans

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Latest Planning News

Law Commission launches consultation on reforms to compulsory purchase laws

The Law Commission has published a consultation paper as part of its review of current compulsory purchase and compensation laws in England and Wales. Building on its reports from the early 2000s, the paper seeks to address the fragmented and outdated nature of the legal framework. This follows a request from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, with the Commission tasked with drafting a Bill to consolidate, codify, and modernise the existing legislation. The paper is divided into three key sections, comprising 106 questions. The first section, Chapters 2-5, examines procedural aspects of compulsory purchase, the second section, Chapters 6-11, focuses on compensation-related issues, and the final section, Chapters 12-15, addresses supplementary matters. The consultation closes on 31 March 2025.

Chief Planner’s second planning update newsletter for December 2024 published

The Chief Planner, Joanna Averley, has published a second planning update newsletter for December 2024, written for the chief planning officers at local planning authorities (LPAs). The newsletter contains details of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)'s publication of a working paper proposing a new approach to development and nature recovery, suggesting that developers contribute to a 'Nature Restoration Fund' to meet their environmental obligations more effectively. Additionally, the MHCLG published an updated Criteria Document for improving planning performance, reducing the assessment period for decision-making speed from 24 months to 12 months. The MHCLG also announced grant funding to support the implementation of recent National Planning Policy Framework changes, with over £14.8m available to support local authorities with local plan delivery and Green Belt reviews. Expressions of interest for this funding are due by 17 January 2025. The newsletter also highlights ongoing initiatives, such as Public Practice's recruitment support for LPAs and a new Regional Design and Place Advocates programme. LPAs are also reminded to update their brownfield land registers by 31 December 2024.

CIC responds to publication of revised NPPF

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Court of Appeal confirms the considerations and requirements for re-determination of a previously quashed approval of a DCO (Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site v Secretary of State for Transport)

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