A planning consultant’s perspective on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill
The Labour government's long-anticipated Planning and Infrastructure Bill finally landed in Parliament in March 2025, bringing with it the promise…
NPPF changes – Does the new grey belt designation make your site viable again?
The Labour government’s recent overhaul of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has introduced a number of reforms aimed at…
Labour’s proposed National Planning Policy Framework – What’s involved?
The recently elected Labour government has unveiled a draft rewrite of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for consultation. This…
Exploring the next steps for developers under the new Labour government
Following chancellor Rachel Reeves' first major speech on 8 July, there has been significant interest regarding the Labour government's plans…
Election 2024 – What the parties are saying on key planning and development issues
As the 2024 UK General Election approaches, PWA Planning’s Matthew Wyatt, has taken a closer look at the manifestos of…
Can I appeal against a planning enforcement notice?
Planning director Dan Hughes looks at the issue of enforcement notices and options for appealing them. What is a planning…
Do I need planning permission for a children’s home?
Josh Hellawell, associate at PWA Planning, discusses the issue of when planning permission is required to provide supported living accommodation…
Changes to permitted development legislation – What you need to know
On 30 April 2024, the government announced a number of changes to the Town and Country Planning General Permitted Development Order.…
Increase in planning application fees from December 2023 – What you need to know
New legislation to increase planning application fees in England takes effect on December 6. Graeme Thorpe, associate at PWA Planning,…
What are the new Biodiversity Net Gain requirements coming in January 2024?
From January 2024, developers will be required to deliver at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity as part of…
Nutrient neutrality rules in England – What are the latest developments?
The UK government’s proposed relaxation of rules on nutrient neutrality in England have received a setback. Our director of planning…
Getting planning permission for long duration energy storage
New technologies to enable longer duration energy storage offer much-needed optimism in the race to Net Zero, but they may…
Can investment zones really streamline the planning process?
Paul Walton, director of PWA Planning, explains the government’s proposed enterprise zones and asks whether they can really deliver a…
Will the new Transport for the North plan work?
Transport for the North recently launched a consultation on its freight and logistics strategy which aims to stimulate growth in…
Can energy storage help UK meet carbon reduction targets?
As part of the planning process for energy storage developments, we are required to justify the environmental benefits of such…