What's new?

All sections are reviewed biannually by expert authors. The following sections have been updated recently.

Highlight

Householder development

This section has been fully updated throughout. See especially the new subsections on large rear extensions, upward extensions and air and ground source heat pumps.

Updates

Environmental impact assessment

As a result of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill receiving royal assent, there is likely to be a significant amount of change in the coming years in relation to how environmental assessment is undertaken. This section has been updated throughout to reflect this; see especially Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023.

Making a planning application

The author has updated this section throughout. See especially:

• Levelling up, for the main planning policy amendments in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 and
• Permitted development categorisations regarding the government's consultation on amending permitted development rights.

The Making and managing planning applications FAQs have also been fully updated by the Editorial Board. 

Mediation for planning

This section has received amendments throughout. See especially Conflict in planning, which now discusses the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 and the Infrastructure Levy.

Permitted development rights

This section has been updated throughout, in particular to reflect the significant overhaul to use classes, which came into effect from 1 September 2020 under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020.

Planning appeals

This section has been updated throughout by the Editorial Board. See especially:

• Preparing for an appeal, which now discusses amendments to proposed schemes in relation to the 'Wheatcroft principles' and
• Further information, which now has a fully updated list of useful guidance.

Planning bulletin

An Autumn/winter 2023–24 update has been published for the Planning bulletin, which is maintained by the isurv Planning Editorial Board.

In this bulletin, the board discusses how, as the country heads towards another general election, planning could be one of the major political battlegrounds. As such, it discusses how planning is facing a period of uncertainty, and how some recent case law may add to the uncertainty, rather than creating clarity.

Planning policy

This section has been uppdated throughout. See especially the planning policy framework, which discusses the changes brought about by the Levelling-up & Regeneration Act 2023.

Pre-application preparation and validation

This section has been completely updated throughout. See, for example, Planning application fees, which details how, from 6 December 2023, planning application fees are based on the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.

Consultation drafts

See iConsult to review the latest RICS consultation drafts.

This page was last updated in March 2024.