Portal Director - Planning News

Housing Minister John Healey has today backed the country's biggest ever green home building programme, with four areas sharing £60m cash to build over 600 new homes to the toughest ever environmental standards. (continues...)

This divisional letter informs BCBs about the introduction of a suite of new British Standards (BSs) for structural design, based on European Standards often called the Eurocodes. (continues...)

Guidance on how applications for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) are to be examined by the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC). (continues...)

Non-statutory guidance to aid interpretation of the Infrastructure Planning (Fees) Regulations 2010 and also to provide worked examples of how the fees work in practice. (continues...)

The guidance aims to help promoters and the IPC understand the powers contained in the Planning Act 2008 and advise on the application on the correct procedures and statutory or administrative requirements. (continues...)

A summary of responses made to public consultation on the draft examination procedures and fees. This also sets out the Government's response to the points raised during consultation and any changes made to the secondary legislation and guidance. (continues...)

Radical action by councils on driving down carbon emissions will help cut fuel bills and reduce global warming Communities Secretary John Denham said today. (continues...)

Housing and Planning Minister John Healey today announced new local powers to control the spread of high concentrations of shared rented homes and to tackle pockets of unsafe and substandard accommodation run by bad landlords. (continues...)

This document comprises a summary of responses to the recent Government consultation on three options for addressing the impact of high concentrations of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). (continues...)

This document comprises a summary of responses to the recent Government consultation on allowing greater flexibility for planning applications. It sets out the Government's formal response to the issues raised in the consultation. (continues...)

Planning Minister John Healey today pledged to freeze planning fees on applications to help developers through the economic recovery and keep builders on construction sites by saving them up to £23m a year. (continues...)

Letter to local authorities advising them on how specific garden policies may be considered. (continues...)

During the passage of the Planning Act in November 2008, the Government committed to carry out a review establishing the extent of development on back gardens. (continues...)

Housing and Planning Minister John Healey today published new, independent research that shows inappropriate building on back gardens is not a widespread, national problem and is often linked to councils' failure to have local policies in place. (continues...)

Letter to local authorities confirming that, as part of the ABG announced on 26 November 2009, they have now received the second year of the grant provided to reflect new burdens on LPAs from the PPS1 supplement on planning for climate change. (continues...)

Information on zero carbon non-domestic buildings. (continues...)

Strengthened delivery arrangements and more local planning responsibility will drive regeneration in London and Thurrock Thames Gateways and West Northamptonshire following a review of Urban Development Corporations (UDC). (continues...)

This draft document has been produced for use as part of Building Control Risk Assessment-Pilot research project only. (continues...)

An overhaul of the planning system that will give Town Halls the tools they need to boost business growth and provide new safeguards for town centres and local markets was published today. (continues...)

This practice guidance is intended to support the implementation of town centre policies set out in PPS4. It is aimed at helping those involved in preparing or reviewing need, impact and sequential site assessments. (continues...)

This final impact assessment considers the costs and benefits of options aimed at streamlining the national planning policy framework relating to planning for sustainable economic growth. (continues...)

This document sets out the views and responses received on the consultation that took place between 5 May 2009 and 28 July 2009. (continues...)

Communities Minister Ian Austin has today outlined proposals on how the public will have more access to Ordnance Survey mapping data from next year, as part of a Government drive to open up data to improve transparency. (continues...)

This report on the evaluation of competent person self-certification schemes covers the period 6 April 2006 to 31 March 2009. (continues...)

This consultation seeks views on proposals to amend the conditions of authorisation, the application process and monitoring of performance for competent person self-certification schemes. (continues...)

The LDEDC Act 2009 makes provision for the creation of Regional Strategies. This guidance sets out the considerations the Secretary of State will take into account when considering schemes for the creation of Leaders' Board. (continues...)

This document sets out a number of responses received on the consultation which took place between 6 August 2009 and 30 October 2009. (continues...)

This report has an overall summary and an annex by the Planning Portal on improving the quality of information available to users of the planning application system. (continues...)

This research report makes a series of recommendations on how to improve the process of discharging planning conditions. (continues...)

This consultation seeks views on a draft new PPS on development management and on draft policy annexes on pre-application and determination. (continues...)

This consultation seeks views on a draft policy annex on the use of planning conditions (which also clarifies current arrangements on the fees that LPAs can charge), and on proposed measures to improve the discharging of conditions. (continues...)

This consultation seeks views on a range of proposals to improve the consultation arrangements for statutory and non-statutory consultees. (continues...)

This document sets out a summary of responses received on the Publicity for Planning Applications: Consultation which took place between 30 July 2009 and 23 October 2009. (continues...)

Housing and Planning Minister John Healey today announced a package of measures to streamline the planning system, help businesses deliver projects quickly and drive down costs during recovery. (continues...)

This Consultation version of the Technical guide is part of the Sustainable New Homes: The Road to Zero Carbon: Consultation on the Code for Sustainable Homes and the Energy Efficiency standard for Zero Carbon Homes publication. (continues...)

This Consultation version of the Impact Assessment is part of the Sustainable New Homes: The Road to Zero Carbon: Consultation on the Code for Sustainable Homes and the Energy Efficiency standard for Zero Carbon Homes publication. (continues...)

The Housing and Planning Minister issued a written ministerial statement on the energy efficiency requirement for zero carbon homes on 24 November 2009. This is an interim assessment of costs and benefits of the proposal. (continues...)

Housing and Planning Minister John Healey has today launched proposals for a more consumer-friendly green rating for homes that will help green-proof properties and reduce future utility bills in the most energy efficient homes. (continues...)

This consultation covers both policy and technical changes being considered to the Code for Sustainable Homes which include embedding the new definition of zero carbon for new homes. (continues...)

More key decision-makers for the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) were appointed today, Tuesday 15 December. (continues...)

Letter to local authorities advising of the publication of an updated edition of the Practice Guide which accompanies PPS25. (continues...)