As a New Year dawns, so too does a renewed focus on planning reform. The Government’s drive for faster housing delivery and critical infrastructure upgrades shows no sign of slowing. In this Q4 update, we look back at the final months of 2025—tracking local plan progress, spotlighting major National Infrastructure projects shaping the future, and reviewing appeal decisions that could influence what lies ahead.

National Planning

The Planning and Infrastructure Act became law on 18 December 2025, setting the framework for major planning reforms. Key provisions include powers for councils to acquire land, mandatory training for planning committee members, and future measures to support nature recovery through Environmental Delivery Plans, a Nature Restoration Fund, and a Nature Restoration Levy. However, these nature-related measures, along with the ability for local authorities to set their own planning fees, will only come into effect once detailed regulations are made. In the short term, the main impact on planning applications is the new requirement for committee members to complete mandatory training, while most other changes will follow the introduction of secondary legislation.

The first commencement order under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 came into force on 19 December, introducing targeted reforms to streamline compulsory purchase procedures and laying the groundwork for Environmental Delivery Plans and the Nature Restoration Levy. While these provisions enable Natural England to start preparing plans, most nature recovery measures and local authority fee-setting powers remain subject to future regulations. Further sections, including development corporation duties and National Policy Statement updates, will follow in February and April 2026.

A consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system was published on 16 December 2025 and invites feedback on a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) alongside broader planning system reforms including policies on data centres, on-site energy generation, viability assessments, and site thresholds. The consultation invites responses until 11:45 pm on 10 March 2026.

On 18 November 2025 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government launched a consultation on proposed reforms to the statutory consultee system under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Key proposals include removing statutory status from certain bodies, redefining consultee roles, and implementing performance management measures. The consultation closes on 13 January 2026.

Local Plan Update

Central Bedfordshire Local Plan

Central Bedfordshire Council is progressing its Full Local Plan Review in accordance with the Local Development Scheme approved in January 2025. It has spent the past year engaging extensively with communities, parish and ward councils, and stakeholders, publishing summary reports on the feedback received. The first formal consultation, Regulation 18 “Issues and Options,” is currently expected between April and June 2026.

For more information visit our Local Plan Update page.

Bedford Borough Local Plan

Bedford Borough Council formally withdrew its Local Plan 2040 on 8 October 2025, following advice from the Planning Inspectorate that the plan was unsound and overtaken by events, including the proposed Universal Destinations & Experiences theme park. The Inspector highlighted concerns around housing delivery, infrastructure planning, and employment growth, recommending a new plan to reflect the borough’s changing needs.

The Council will now begin work on a new Local Plan 2050. At its Executive meeting on 6 March 2026, members are scheduled to consider a report setting out a new timetable and work programme, budget, governance arrangements, and the proposed scope for the review.

The current Local Plan 2030 remains in force, but with only a 3.35-year housing land supply, the borough is vulnerable to speculative development under national planning policy.

Luton Borough Local Plan

Luton Council is progressing its new Local Plan after completing the Issues and Options consultation and two Calls for Sites earlier in 2025. An updated Local Development Scheme, approved in July, sets the timetable for the Local Plan and a joint Minerals and Waste Plan. Evidence studies on housing, employment, and green infrastructure are underway, with the draft Local Plan (Regulation 18) expected in 2026.

Further updates on the Strategic Plans in Bedfordshire can be found on our website: Planning in Bedfordshire

Buckinghamshire Local Plan

Buckinghamshire Council Regulation 18 consultation on the new Local Plan closed in October 2025. This focused on the plan’s vision, spatial strategy, and development management policies. Over 1,300 responses were received, with a Statement of Consultation due in early 2026. Technical studies—including housing land availability, settlement options, and Green Belt assessments—are underway to inform future site allocations. The plan must accommodate around 95,500 new homes by 2045, a significant increase driven by revised national housing targets. The county faces mounting pressure from a shortfall in its five-year housing land supply and the Government’s emerging Grey Belt policy, which could influence future land release decisions. The draft plan with proposed site allocations is expected later in 2026.

Milton Keynes Local Plan

Milton Keynes Council’s Regulation 19 consultation on the MK City Plan 2050 ran from 7 November to 22 December 2025 and has now closed.

Key features of the final draft plan include:

  • A confirmed spatial strategy with full site allocations
  • An updated housing target of 60,000 homes by 2050
  • An employment land strategy allocating 208 hectares for new jobs
  • A comprehensive infrastructure delivery framework
  • Policies supporting climate resilience, biodiversity, and placemaking
  • Introduction of a Tall Buildings Strategy and Central Milton Keynes Greenway concept

Responses received will be reviewed before the plan is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in early 2026.

Further updates on the Strategic Plans in Buckinghamshire can be found on our website: Planning in Buckinghamshire

Cambridge Local Plan and South Cambridgeshire Local Plan

The Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service has launched its Regulation 18 consultation on the draft Local Plan, running to 30 January 2026. The plan sets out proposals for around 50,000 new homes by 2045, including major growth at Cambourne North, Waterbeach, and a new community of 6,000 homes near Great Abington.

Key policies focus on sustainable development, climate resilience, and infrastructure delivery, supported by updated evidence and interactive maps. Feedback from this consultation will inform the next stage, with the Regulation 19 submission draft expected mid-2026 ahead of the public examination later in the year.

Huntingdonshire Local Plan Update

Huntingdonshire District Council’s consultation on the Preferred Options Draft Local Plan to 2046 ended on 17 December 2025. The draft plan set out proposed site allocations and planning policies for housing, employment, infrastructure, and sustainability. The council is now reviewing feedback and updating technical evidence ahead of the next stage—the Proposed Submission Local Plan, expected in summer 2026. This will be the final draft before submission for independent examination.

Peterborough Local Plan Update

Peterborough City Council has released its Key Issues Report following the Regulation 18 consultation held from April to May 2025. The report summarises feedback and highlights seven new suggested development sites, including proposals for housing, a village hall, and a country park. The Council is now reviewing all comments and assessing these site submissions. The Proposed Submission Local Plan is scheduled for consultation in August–September 2026, ahead of submission for independent examination later in the year. Updates can be viewed on the Council’s website.

Fenland Local Plan Update

On 15 December 2025, Fenland District Council’s Full Council agreed to withdraw the emerging Fenland Local Plan due to changes in national planning requirements and new local priorities. Rather than revising the existing plan, the Council will begin preparing a new Local Plan – Fenland 50 – under the reformed planning system, setting a vision for the district to 2050. While the withdrawn plan carries no weight in decision-making, some technical evidence may still be used, and the adopted Local Plan remains in force. Documents from the withdrawn plan are available in the Document Library Archive, and a new library will be created for Fenland 50. Further updates, including engagement opportunities, will follow.

Information updates on other Strategic Plans in Cambridgeshire can be found on our website: Planning in Cambridgeshire

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council Joint Local Plan

Following adoption of Part 1 of the Joint Local Plan and updates to national policy, Babergh and Mid Suffolk Councils are preparing a new Local Plan to guide development to the mid-2040s. A Call for Sites is now open for land submissions across various uses. Sites submitted earlier in 2024 for residential use remain under consideration and do not need to be re-submitted. The deadline for new submissions is 5pm on Friday 9 January 2026.

East Suffolk Local Plan

East Suffolk Council is beginning work on a new Local Plan for East Suffolk. This will set out how and where development, including new homes, employment land and infrastructure, should take place up until at least 2044 and will replace the existing Suffolk Coastal and Waveney Local Plans. A Call for sites is currently open until Friday 9 January 2026.

Ipswich Local Plan

Ipswich Borough Council’s Call for Sites closed on 15 December 2025, marking the first step in shaping the new Local Plan. The Council is now assessing submitted sites and updating evidence on housing, employment, and infrastructure needs. The next stage will be the Regulation 18 draft Local Plan, expected for public consultation in mid-2026, which will set out proposed site allocations and planning policies for the borough’s future growth.

Information updates on other Strategic Plans in Suffolk can be found on our website: Planning in Suffolk

Uttlesford New Local Plan

The Uttlesford Local Plan (2021–2041) is in its final examination stage after submission to the Secretary of State in December 2024. Public hearings concluded in summer 2025, and the Main Modifications consultation closed on 27 October 2025. Inspectors are now reviewing responses, with their final report expected in early 2026. Subject to approval, the plan is scheduled for adoption in spring 2026, setting the framework for housing, infrastructure, and sustainability across the district.

North Herts Local Plan

North Hertfordshire District Council has completed its initial Expressions of Interest stage and is now reviewing submissions from its district-wide Call for Sites. This process invites land for housing, employment, infrastructure, and community uses, with no location restrictions. The Council is assessing sites for suitability, availability, and achievability, and will request further details from promoters where needed. Smaller sites (up to 50 homes or ≤0.25 ha for non-housing) are exempt from fees, while larger or complex sites may incur costs. Assessment will continue into early 2026, informing the Regulation 18 draft Local Plan, expected later in the year.

Dacorum Local Plan

Dacorum Borough Council’s Local Plan is progressing through public examination. The Council has submitted documents requested by Inspectors following the Stage 1 Hearings. These are available in the examination library as DBC/ED39 and DBC/ED40. The Inspectors will now run a targeted consultation on these documents with those who responded at the Regulation 19 stage. Details will be issued shortly by the Programme Officer. For full details and ongoing updates, visit the Lets Talk Dacorum website.

Hertsmere Local Plan

Hertsmere Borough Council is progressing its new Local Plan following the Regulation 18 consultation in 2024 and a district-wide Call for Sites earlier in 2025. An updated Local Development Scheme sets the timetable for the next stages, with a Regulation 18 draft consultation expected early 2026 and Regulation 19 consultation planned for spring 2026. Technical studies, including housing land availability and Green Belt reviews, are being finalised to inform site allocations and policies for housing, employment, and sustainability.

St Albans Local Plan

The St Albans Local Plan has progressed to Stage 2 of its independent examination, with hearings held throughout October and November 2025. These sessions focused on strategic issues, including Green Belt, housing growth, site selection, employment land, infrastructure, and the Hemel Garden Communities proposal. The Council are currently responding to requests for additional information from the Inspectors.  The latest updates can be viewed on the Councils website.

Three Rivers Local Plan

Three Rivers District Council is developing a new Local Plan to shape sustainable growth up to 2041, covering housing, jobs, infrastructure, and community facilities. After completing a Call for Sites and a Regulation 18 consultation earlier in 2025, the Council expects to present the Regulation 19 draft to Full Council in January 2026, with public consultation planned for early 2026. Further details are available on the Council’s website.

Information updates on other Strategic Plans in Hertfordshire can be found on our website: Planning in Hertfordshire

North Northamptonshire Strategic Plan

North Northamptonshire Council is progressing its new Strategic Plan, which will guide development across the area to 2045, replacing the current Joint Core Strategy from 2016. The Council has published notice of a key decision to update the Local Plan timetable so the Strategic Plan aligns with the new development plan system. The Executive is due to determine this on 20 January 2026, which may confirm or adjust the milestones set out in the March 2025 Local Development Scheme, including the anticipated Regulation 18 consultation in early 2026. We will monitor this decision and update the Planning in Northamptonshire page accordingly.

West Northamptonshire Strategic Plan

West Northamptonshire Council has confirmed an updated Local Plan timetable, extending the plan period to 2043 and increasing housing provision to around 49,000 homes. A revised Regulation 18 draft will be considered by the Planning Policy Committee on 8 January, with an eight-week public consultation expected in early 2026. The Council intends to submit the plan for examination by the end of 2026, with adoption targeted for late 2027.

Information updates on other Strategic Plans in Northamptonshire can be found on our website: Planning in Northamptonshire

National Infrastructure Projects

Brockwell Storage and Solar Development Consent Order (DCO) application is now at the pre-examination stage, and stakeholders can register to have their say. Registration closes on 14 January 2026. All application documents are available to view on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

The Bedford to Cambridge section of East West Rail, including proposed new stations at Bedford St Johns, Tempsford, and Cambourne, has been designated a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and is progressing under the Development Consent Order (DCO) process. The project remains at the pre-application stage, with formal submission expected in early 2027. Following extensive community feedback captured in the latest “You Said, We Did” report, design refinements include a revised Tempsford station, modern replacements for Marston Vale Line stations, and improved access and active travel facilities at Bedford stations. A statutory consultation is planned for early 2026, and environmental assessments continue to shape the proposals. Project updates can be viewed on the PINS website.

Following the hearing in the High Court on 4–5 November 2025, the Judicial Review challenging the Government’s decision to approve the expansion of London Luton Airport from 18 million to 32 million passengers per year was dismissed. The approved expansion includes a new terminal, taxiways, and surface access improvements, but no new runway.

The Government has designated the Fens and Lincolnshire Reservoirs as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, forming part of a £5 billion programme to secure future water supply. The Fens Reservoir near Chatteris will provide 87 million litres per day by 2036, while the Lincolnshire Reservoir south of Sleaford will deliver 166 million litres per day by 2040. A third-phase public consultation for the Fens Reservoir—covering updated designs, infrastructure proposals, and environmental assessments—closed on 10 December 2025. The Development Consent Order (DCO) application for the Fens Reservoir is expected in February 2027, with Lincolnshire following a similar timeline.

Kingsway Solar Farm a proposed solar energy project co-located with battery storage to the southeast of Cambridge, remains at the pre-application stage under the Development Consent Order (DCO) process. The applicant’s notification under Section 46 of the Planning Act 2008 and Regulation 8 of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 has been received by the Planning Inspectorate. The formal DCO application is expected to be submitted in March 2026.

Rosefield Solar Farm a proposed Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project near Little Horwood in Buckinghamshire, has had its Development Consent Order (DCO) application formally accepted and is now at the pre-examination stage. Stakeholders were invited to register and submit representations by 12 December 2025, and the Examining Authority has carried out site inspections and requested further information on highways, land rights, and heritage impacts, with responses due by 9 January 2026.

The Grand Union Canal Transfer —160 km scheme to move treated recycled water from near Birmingham through the Coventry, Oxford, and Grand Union canals into a new reservoir south of Milton Keynes—remains at the pre-application stage under the DCO process. Recent project updates highlight continued site and route selection work, supported by environmental assessments and water navigation trials to inform design (September and July 2025). A second public consultation is planned for early 2026 (February–March), aiming to gather further stakeholder input ahead of the formal DCO submission, which is currently anticipated in November 2026.

The Government has confirmed a Special Development Order (SDO) granting planning permission for Universal Destinations & Experiences Entertainment Resort Complex at Kempston Hardwick—a major leisure destination featuring hotels, retail, transport infrastructure, and landscaping. The Order has been laid before Parliament and will come into force on 12 January 2026, following a 40-day scrutiny period unless annulled. This direct consent from central government bypasses the usual local planning process, marking a landmark moment for Bedfordshire’s growth and setting a precedent for delivering nationally significant projects quickly while addressing environmental and transport considerations.

Recent Appeal Decisions

  • A full application for 24 dwellings on land to the east of 29 Peakirk Road Glinton Peterborough was dismissed (12 December 2025)  Ref: APP/J0540/W/25/3367425
  • An outline application for up to 120 dwellings on land at Broad Lane Holtspur Beaconsfield was allowed (18 December 2025) Ref: APP/N0410/W/24/3347882

A number of further appeals are pending including:

Recent Planning Caselaw Updates

In the case of Edith Weston Parish Council v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government [2025] EWHC 2908 (Admin) the court held that ‘In situations where the presumption (at NPPF 2024 paragraph 11d) applies to applications involving the provision of housing, the adverse impact of allowing development that conflicts with the neighbourhood plan is likely to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, provided the following apply:

  • the neighbourhood plan became part of the development plan five years or less before the date on which the decision is made; and
  • the neighbourhood plan contains policies and allocations to meet its identified housing requirement (see paragraphs 69-70).

The case of Mole Valley DC v Secretary of State [2025] EWHC 2127 (Admin) raised the key issue of whether, pursuant to the 2024 NPPF (particularly paragraphs 142, 153, 155 and footnote 55), the Inspector had erred in law in concluding that the aim of Green Belt openness cannot be compromised by development that is “not inappropriate”.

  • The court dismissed the challenge and held, applying Lee Valley, if it’s not inappropriate, it’s not harmful to openness as a matter of policy: (see paragraphs 42 – 46); and
  • The Claimant’s interpretation of the policy would undermine the purpose of the new exception for Grey Belt development as set out in para 155 of the NPPF.

In R (Save Wimbledon Park Ltd) v Mayor of London [2025] EWHC 1856 (Admin) the High Court confirmed that NPPF paragraph 202 on “deliberate neglect” only applies where there is clear evidence of intentional harm—lawful long-term land use that reduces heritage value does not qualify. On open space (paragraph 103), the court held that exceptions can include commercial sports facilities, and both quantity and quality of provision can be balanced holistically.

The case of R (CPRE Kent) v SoSHCLG [2025] EWHC 1781 (Admin) arose in respect of the development of 165 homes at Cranbrook in Kent, within High Weald AONB in which the SoSHCLG accepted some harm to landscape and scenic beauty of AONB, but granted permission.  The claimants raised Two Grounds: (1) the s. 85(A1) duty required the SoSHCLG to refuse permission, (2) reasons. The court concluded:

  • Ground 1 rejected. Correct approach in New Forest. S. 85(A1) duty not intended to displace or cut across ordinary evaluative duty when granting PP (paragraphs 47-63).
  • Ground 2 rejected. Standard is South Bucks, reasons satisfactory (paragraphs 68-76).

The case of Wadhurst PC v SoSHCLG [2025] EWHC 1735 (Admin) related to the grant of two planning permissions for Material Changes of Use of land at Bewl Water to camp site and erection of yurts. The claimants raised two grounds: (1) The Inspector failed to ask himself the right s. 85(A1) duty questions and (2) failed to have proper regard to HW AONB Management Plan.

  • Ground 1 was rejected by the court. Inspector had undertaken detailed examination of policy looking at whether the proposals conserved and enhanced AONB. He concluded compliance with particular local plan policies which indicated he concluded there would be conservation and enhancement of AONB (paragraphs 72-73).

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