Digital planning

Digital planning

In October 2023, the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (LURA 2023) gained Royal Assent. LURA 2023 includes sections on data standards, data software and the digitalisation of many planning processes.

The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA 2022) gained Royal Assent in April 2022. It sets out a building safety regime based on three gateways, where Gateway One is the planning process. It also provides for an approach to managing fire safety data that includes all stages of the building process, including planning.

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Latest Planning News

Welsh Government issues revised TAN 15

The Welsh government has published new planning guidance titled ‘Guidance on The Town and Country Planning (Flood Risk Area Development) (Notification) (Wales) Direction 2025 (WGC 002/2025)’ to better protect communities from flooding. The guidance helps planners assess flood risks from various sources and provides advice on adapting to and living with flood risk. It emphasises the increasing frequency and severity of flooding due to climate change and introduces a risk-based approach using the Flood Map for Planning. Additionally, the revised Technical Advice Note 15 (TAN 15) supplements policies in Planning Policy Wales and Future Wales, focusing on reducing flood risk and developing away from high-risk areas. The new guidance is effective on 1 Aril 2025, with a transitional period for ongoing applications.

Welsh Government issues building regulations circular on gigabit-ready housing requirements

The Welsh Government has published Building Regulations Circular WGC 001/2025 announcing the Building etc. (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2025, which will come into force on 1 July 2025. The regulations mandate gigabit-ready infrastructure and connections for new dwellings in Wales, with a £2,000 cost cap per dwelling. The amendments introduce new requirements 'RA1' and 'RA2' in Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010, supported by new 'Approved Document R Volumes 1 and 2'. Transitional provisions will apply to building work where notices were given or plans were deposited before the regulations' commencement, on condition that the work starts within 12 months of implementation.

Defra launches consultation on establishment of Marine Recovery Fund

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation, seeking views on the operational design of the proposed Marine Recovery Fund (MRF). The MRF aims to deliver industry-funded, strategic measures to compensate for the adverse effects of offshore wind developments on marine protected areas. The consultation seeks views on the MRF’s application process, associated costs and charges, and the mechanisms for delivering compensatory measures. The consultation closes on 12 May 2025.

HMLR publishes blog post on Local Land Charges Programme progress

HM Land Registry (HMLR) has published a blog post, outlining the progress of its Local Land Charges (LLC) Programme. The blog reveals that one-third of local authorities have migrated to the national LLC Register, another third are in active delivery, and the remaining third have signed up and begun work on pre-migration action plans. Currently, 110 local authority datasets have been migrated, reducing the time to receive results from days or weeks to instant online availability. By 2028, more than 300 local authorities in England and Wales will have transitioned to the LLC Register. The next phase will focus on expanding opportunities for reusing the digitised LLC dataset to promote economic growth. HMLR will work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to build on its existing work in digitising property information and collaborate with various local authorities to identify the best methods for digitising more data, particularly building control and highways information, which are currently paper-based. Further details on these initiatives will be announced soon.