News2018-08-23T17:03:54+01:00

2023 Planning News Update – Q2

Local Elections in May changed the political balance in a lot of Councils and this is having an effect on Strategic planning and Development decisions. Please read some of the latest news in our quarterly update below: National Planning The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill continues through Parliament and entered Report stage in the House of Lords on 11 July 2023. Whilst the government announced that it intended to introduce planning application fee increases in summer 2023 there does not yet appear to be any draft legislation published so far. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has confirmed that the publication of the revisions to the NPPF will not be published until September at the earliest and not until after the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill gets Royal Assent. Local Plan Update Central Bedfordshire Local Plan Following the adoption of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan 2015 [...]

By |July 19th, 2023|Categories: NEWS UPDATES|0 Comments

Preferred route announced for the Bedford to Cambridge section of East West Rail

East West Rail has announced the preferred route for the Bedford to Cambridge section of East West Rail (EWR), including proposed new stations at Bedford St Johns, Tempsford and Cambourne.Key updates include:Improving services and reducing disruption along the Marston Vale by changing the proposed frequency to three services per hour rather than four to five as originally proposed. This requires less construction work to upgrade the line, which would reduce disruption to local communities and passengers, as well as reducing cost. A new station for Bedford Hospital by relocating the existing Bedford St Johns station closer to the hospital to provide a convenient location for patients, hospital staff and visitors, while also improving the alignment of the railway into Bedford station.Serving central Bedford and connecting with the wider rail network with a proposal to redevelop the Bedford station to take account of the required capacity and new infrastructure needed for [...]

By |May 26th, 2023|Categories: NEWS UPDATES|0 Comments

2023 Planning News Update – Q1

Significant events in Q1 are already ensuring that Planning stays interesting in 2023. Please read some of the latest news in our quarterly update below: National Planning Change continues in the National Planning arena with Rachel Maclean MP, becoming Minister of State for Housing and Planning in February. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill is now at Committee stage in the House of Lords and several further sittings are programmed into April. Consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) amendments were published before Christmas. These included proposals to reduce pressure on LPAs to provide housing needs in full and less focus on five-year housing land supply especially where Councils have an up-to-date Local Plan.  The consultation has now closed and the Governments response is awaited. A current planning application fees consultation seeks views on proposals to increase planning fees and to improve the performance of local planning authorities. [...]

By |March 29th, 2023|Categories: NEWS UPDATES|0 Comments

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for Small development sites

The 10% Biodiversity Net Gain requirement was introduced by the Environment Act 2021 and will require developers to assess the type of habitat that would be affected the the proposed development and its condition before submitting plans to local planning authorities setting out how they will deliver BNG in the development proposals. There are six draft statutory instruments which will become law when BNG comes into effect on 12th February 2024. However, small sites will be subject to a longer transition period,which will run until April 2024. A small site does not fall into the category of a major development, as defined in article 2(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015. Exemptions to BNG requirements can be found here.  These include small Self Build and Custom Housebuilding sites. There are 3 ways a developer can achieve 10% BNG: They can enhance and restore biodiversity on-site [...]

By |March 10th, 2023|Categories: NEWS UPDATES|1 Comment

2022 Planning News Update – Q4

Q4 of 2022 has seen some significant events and will ensure that Planning stays interesting in 2023. In the meantime, please take time to read some of the latest news in our quarterly update below: National Planning Since our last update we have another new Prime Minister, and further changes at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP has resumed his role as the Secretary of State with The Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP as the Minister of State for Housing and Planning. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill has now moved onto the House of Lords after a series of amendments during its passage through the House of Commons. The 2nd reading in the House of Lords is due on 17 January 2023. More detail on the proposed planning reforms is to be set out in a National Planning [...]

By |December 22nd, 2022|Categories: NEWS UPDATES|0 Comments

2022 Planning News Update – Q3

Whilst the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill continues to make its way through Parliament, Q3 of 2022 has seen some significant changes which are likely to affect Planning in the future. In the meantime, we look at some of the latest news and updates in our quarterly update below: National Planning Following the election of the new Prime Minister, there have been further changes at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). The Secretary of State is now The Rt Hon Simon Clarke MP (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) with Lee Rowley MP (North East Derbyshire) as the Housing and Planning Minister. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill currently remains in Committee Stage, where detailed examination of the Bill is taking place. This has been extended and there is speculation that there will be major changes in the legislation following the recent change of Prime Minister and [...]

By |October 3rd, 2022|Categories: NEWS UPDATES|0 Comments
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