During Q1 of 2026, the pace of planning reform has continued to accelerate. The Government’s commitment to boosting housing delivery and unlocking major infrastructure remains firmly at the forefront of the agenda. In this update, we reflect on progress over the first quarter of the year—reviewing Local Plan advancement under the new system, tracking key National Infrastructure projects entering examination, and highlighting appeal decisions that are beginning to shape the evolving planning landscape.

National Planning

During Q1 of 2026, practical implementation of the Planning and Infrastructure Act has continued, with major provisions coming into force on 18 February 2026, including new compulsory purchase powers, faster land‑vesting procedures, and the rollout of Environmental Delivery Plans to support the Nature Restoration Levy. Alongside this, the Government has focused on transitioning the Act from legislation into practice, preparing guidance for new strategic planning duties such as Spatial Development Strategies, planning fee powers, and the forthcoming national scheme of delegation for planning decisions. Overall, early 2026 has marked the shift from legislative reform to practical delivery, with the planning system entering an intensive implementation phase.

The consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework closed on 10 March 2026 and the new NPPF is now expected in Summer 2026.

Local authorities now have guidance needed to begin preparing Local Plans under the new 30‑month timetable, even though some of the supporting secondary regulations and the revised NPPF are still pending. The Government has made clear that LPAs should begin plan‑making as soon as possible following commencement of the new regulations in early 2026. As a result, some councils are continuing to progress Local Plans under the existing system while others are already gearing up to operate under the new timetable, leading to a period of overlap as both systems run in parallel through 2026.

Changes to the Planning Appeals process coming into effect from 1 April 2026 introduce a more streamlined, front-loaded system, with most appeals determined through written representations and based primarily on the information submitted at application stage; importantly, these changes apply only to appeals arising from applications submitted from 1 April 2026 onwards.

The Government has launched a consultation on further reforms to planning fees, seeking views on proposals to introduce a new national default fee schedule set at around 90% of cost recovery, alongside a future model for local fee setting, the restructuring of fee categories, and a potential circa 10% surcharge to fund statutory consultees. The consultation also explores principles for locally set fees (including the possibility of a cap) and the future role of discretionary services such as Planning Performance Agreements and pre-application advice; it is currently open, with responses invited until 18 May 2026.

The Government is also consulting on its draft New Towns Programme, confirming a shortlist of seven preferred locations for further consideration. The consultation also outlines a proposed “offer” to potential host locations, likely to include infrastructure investment, funding support and enhanced delivery and planning mechanisms to support delivery at scale; it is currently open, with responses invited until 19 May 2026.

How this affects you

With key parts of the Planning and Infrastructure Act now in force and councils transitioning at different speeds to the new 30‑month Local Plan system, planning processes and risks will vary across authorities throughout 2026. To navigate these differences and protect your project’s position, you need timely, site‑specific planning advice—so please get in touch if you’d like support.

National Infrastructure Projects

Brockwell Storage and Solar Development Consent Order (DCO) application has been accepted for examination and Hearings are in progress. Updates can be viewed 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. Project updates can be viewed on the PINS website.

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. 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 formal DCO application was expected to be submitted in March 2026. Updates can be viewed on the Planning Inspectorate

Rosefield Solar Farm a proposed Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project near Little Horwood in Buckinghamshire, has its Development Consent Order (DCO) application at Examination.

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. A second public consultation ends on 2 April, aiming to gather further stakeholder input ahead of the formal DCO submission, which is currently anticipated in June 2027.

Universal Destinations & Experiences proposed theme park in Bedfordshire reached a major planning milestone, with Government granting approval in principle via a Special Development Order (SDO). This route means consent has been issued at a national level, bypassing the local authority decision process and reflecting the scheme’s strategic economic importance. The project is currently progressing through the final parliamentary stage and moving into early delivery. With planning risk largely resolved, the focus now shifts to detailed approvals, infrastructure coordination, and early works, with construction activity expected to begin during 2026. The scheme is also expected to unlock significant wider growth, with opportunities emerging for new hotel provision, leisure uses, and complementary tourism development across surrounding authorities. Nearby areas are likely to see increased pressure and potential for allocation of sites to support visitor accommodation and related economic activity.

Recent Appeal Decisions

    • An outline application for up to 58 dwellings on land at Barton Road, Barton Seagrave was allowed on 7 January 2026 Ref: APP/M2840/W/25/3368839
    • An outline application for residential development of 6 dwellings on land to the south of Olympus Road, Henlow was dismissed on 12 January 2026 Ref: APP/P0240/W/25/3371676
    • An outline planning application for the erection of up to 250 dwellings on land south of Peakirk Road Glinton Peterborough was allowed on 19 January 2026 Ref: APP/J0540/W/25/3370685
    • An application for erection of 107 residential apartments at Queens Works Ford End Road Bedford was allowed on 4 February 2026 Ref: APP/K0235/W/25/3371475
    • A full application for the erection of 170 dwellings on Land south of Steppingley Road, Flitwick was allowed on 9 March 2026 Ref: APP/P0240/W/25/3372878
    • An outline application for up to 700 residential dwellings etc on land to the west of Brackley was allowed 19 March 2026 Ref: APP/W2845/W/25/3367158
    • An outline application for the erection of up to 240 dwellings on Land off Bedwell Road, Elsenham, on 19 March 2026 Ref: APP/C1570/W/25/3370631
    • An outline application for erection of residential dwellings, elderly/extra care and/or later living accommodation on land adjacent to Amersham Road and Minerva Way Amersham Road Beaconsfield was allowed on 19 March 2026 Ref: APP/N0410/W/25/3374132
    • An outline application for residential development (including affordable dwellings) etc on Land South Of Bourton Road Buckingham was allowed on 31 March 2026 Ref:  APP/J0405/W/25/3372565

Other appeals which are pending include:

Recent Planning Caselaw Updates

Save Greater Manchester Green Belt Ltd v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government & Ors [2025] EWHC 2742 (Admin) concerned a s.113 challenge to the adoption of the Greater Manchester “Places for Everyone” plan, including substantial Green Belt release and designation. The High Court (Lang J) dismissed the claim, holding that the inspectors did not err in their approach to “exceptional circumstances” under the NPPF: this is a matter of planning judgment, not a rigid legal test, and the inspectors had not unlawfully fettered their discretion. For planning practice, the case reinforces the wide latitude given to inspectors and plan-makers in assessing Green Belt changes, confirms that “exceptional circumstances” can be approached flexibly provided all relevant factors are considered, and underlines the difficulty of successfully challenging local plans on evaluative planning judgments.

Wrotham Parish Council v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government & Ors [2026] EWHC 165 (Admin) concerned a s.288 challenge to an inspector’s grant of permission for a Green Belt HGV truck stop, with the claimant arguing that the inspector misinterpreted “grey belt” policy in the NPPF. The High Court (Lieven J) dismissed the claim, holding that planning policy should be applied pragmatically, not as strict statutory wording, and that the inspector was entitled to focus on whether the specific proposal should be refused. For planning, the case confirms a flexible, proposal-led approach to grey belt policy and reinforces the courts’ reluctance to entertain overly technical challenges to inspectors’ planning judgments.

Lancaster City Council v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government & Anor [2026] EWHC 263 (Admin) concerned a challenge to an inspector’s decision involving the treatment of a section 106 obligation in the context of a section 73 TCPA 1990 permission, including the use of a deed to secure or vary obligations. The High Court dismissed the claim, holding that the inspector had lawfully accepted the planning obligation arrangements and that there was no legal error in how the obligations were carried forward or modified. For planning, the case confirms the lawful and flexible use of s.106 obligations (including deeds of variation) alongside s.73 permissions, reinforcing that inspectors can rely on such mechanisms provided the obligations are properly secured and continue to serve a planning purpose.

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