Letter from Matthew Pennycook MP Matthew Pennycook MP to Royal Town Planning Institute "enormous respect for the planning profession. The perseverance with which I have seen local authority planners shape and build communities in their local areas is truly admirable" rtpi.org.uk/news/2024/dece…

My reading of the change in definition of "gypsies & travellers" in the updated Planning Policy for Travellers Sites (PPTS) #NPPF gov.uk/government/pub…

***ALL*** Local Planning Authorities must produce an updated Local Development Scheme (LDS) for their Local Plan by 6 March 2025. This is a big deal and a tight timetable - LDSs usually have to be approved by a Cabinet decision gov.uk/guidance/plann…

More planning reform! Working Paper on Development & Nature Recovery. Here's the press release... gov.uk/government/new…

Planning Reform Working Paper on Development & Nature Recovery "These proposals are not expected to have any substantive impact on the implementation of mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)" gov.uk/government/pub…

Devolution White Paper "a universal system of strategic planning within the next 5 years. The model that is proposed is the SDS, which is well established in London, the London Plan having been produced and continually reviewed over 20 years" gov.uk/government/pub…

Devolution White Paper - good to see London mentioned a lot - "the government will work with the Mayor of London to compare the powers and policy approaches of other global city authorities" gov.uk/government/pub…

Devolution White Paper is essential reading for anyone interested in future of local govt "Councils are the foundation of our state – critical to driving growth, delivering and reforming the local public services... and to our democratic system..." gov.uk/government/pub…

Lost amongst the NPPF announcements is the Govt's response to the summer consultation which includes a helpful flowchart on Local Plan transitional arrangements gov.uk/government/con…

Also lost amongst the NPPF announcements is update on planning application fees "government intends to bring forward regulations to implement the increase of householder application fees at the earliest opportunity" gov.uk/government/con…

Increased planning fees for: - prior approvals - discharge of conditions - new banded fee structure for S73 applications to reflect different development types gov.uk/government/con…

Planning fees & resources: - "introduce a power for LPAs to be able to set their own fees". - "they will have to consult and publish their schedule of fees" - "government will continue to investigate ways to better resource other areas of planning" gov.uk/government/con…

Chairing a meeting on low carbon development at London Councils new office - lots of great work going on across the boroughs

Pathways To Planning is ran by Local Government Association (LGA) PAS to recruit grads to LPA roles whilst studying a planning masters. It was a delight to present on Haringey's experience in Cohort 1 with our trainee, Sion. Also great to hear from Nottingham & Maidstone too! Shelly Rouse aka HouseyRousey

Building Regulations - Fire Safety - Approved Document B published "Volume 1: Dwellings, & Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings - both 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments" gov.uk/government/pub…

Heritage Led Regeneration Toolkit published by Historic England historicengland.org.uk/advice/heritag…

Very helpful summary of the planning application fee increases from April 2025 from Jennie Baker Lichfields lichfields.uk/blog/2025/janu…