Weekly planning news

Sustainability quickly becoming a priority for developers, NBS report reveals 

Sustainability has become a significantly bigger focus for the built environment industries over recent years, as evidenced by a recent report¹ from the National Building Specification (NBS). Released on 20 August, the Sustainable Futures Report² reveals a remarkable 13% rise in sustainability-related projects over the past two years. Conducted in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA),³ the report highlights a growing emphasis on environmentally conscious practices within the sector. 

According to the report,⁴ approximately 70% of current construction projects now include sustainability goals. One of the standout findings of the report is the substantial increase in Net Zero projects. In the past year alone, 64% of surveyed professionals reported having worked on a Net Zero project, a notable rise from 49% in 2022.  

Moreover, the report shows that 43% of professionals have successfully achieved sustainability in their projects, up from just a third in 2022. These promising figures suggest that green building requirements may have contributed to enhanced sustainability rates in the built environment. 

TerraQuest⁵ offer a range of services aimed at supporting developers to work sustainably, finding and assessing land to make it sure it’s viable and meets necessary project requirements. Visit TerraQuest today to find out more.⁶ 

also hosts comprehensive resources aimed at supporting built environment stakeholders to make sustainable choices, no matter at which stage they become involved with a project.  

Study reveals overwhelming support for strategic planning

A recent study, commissioned by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)⁷, has revealed that there is ‘overwhelming’ support for government-mandated strategic planning in England.  

The newly elected Labour government has made it clear that it intends to promote a more nationally coordinated approach to planning, a move that has generally been met with approval across both public and private sectors,  

Research recently commissioned by the RTPI uncovered overwhelming support for a re-introduction of strategic planning - with 96% of planners agreeing that the current practice requires a significant overhaul. 

The research was conducted by the Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments at the University of the West of England⁸ and has revealed that 40% of surveyed planners said they do not work with strategic plans, whilst 80% they would support for government-mandated strategic plans. 

Since 2010, there has been no mandatory national requirement for strategic planning.  

The new labour government has announced ambitious plans to ensure universal coverage of strategic plans across England. However, the RTPI’s research highlights a critical challenge to implementation: a shortage of skilled planners with expertise in strategic planning.

At TerraQuest, we know that potential changes to the NPPF and the planning system stand to pose a significant upshot in work for local authorities. We offer a range of comprehensive support solutions for local planning authorities, from planning application caseload management, to validation support, to back-office process streamlining. Visit TerraQuest website to find out more.⁹  

The Associate Professor in Planning Practice at University of West England, Hannah Hickman, said “It has been a privilege to lead research on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute on strategic planning. With over 400 participants, this research provides compelling evidence on the case for a return to a more effective, and mandatory form of statutory strategic planning.” 

Visit the RTPI’s website to read the full report and find out more.¹⁰

Councils pause local plans amidst NPPF uncertainty 

Elmbridge Borough Council has recently paused its local plan in response to the impact of national policy reforms, becoming the latest local authority to do so, The Planner has reported¹¹. This move, ahead of a stage three examination of its draft local plan, was prompted by the significant increase in the homes target under the proposed new standard for calculating housing need, as set out by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) reforms. 

The target for Elmbridge has more than doubled, from 653 homes a year to 1,1443. The council emphasised that its draft local plan is ambitious, focusing on sustainability, biodiversity, new homes, and economic growth while respecting the community's desire to protect green belt land. However, Elmbridge has decided to assess the proposed NPPF reforms and other planning system changes in detail to understand their impact on its draft local plan. 

This decision aligns with similar actions by other local authorities. Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and North Somerset District Council have both paused their local plans recently to consider the implications of the proposed changes to the NPPF. The government's consultation on the revised NPPF states that if the new local housing need figure exceeds the housing requirement in the adopted plan by more than 200 homes per year, the local authority will be required to begin preparing a plan under the new system as soon as possible. 

The impact of these national policy reforms could be significant. Research by Planning Resource¹² suggests that ten English local authorities with draft plans at an advanced stage of preparation might be required to rewrite their strategies due to the gap between their proposed housing targets and the revised housing need assessment. If these councils do not submit their documents for examination in time, they could be forced to rework their plans. 

TerraQuest offer a range of comprehensive services which can help alleviate capacity challenges for local authorities. Visit our website to learn more.¹³

Planning Inspector refuses permission in St Alban’s City and District Council following designation

A five-bedroom home development has been refused by a planning inspector, following the designation of St Alban’s Council in March, Planning Resource has reported¹⁴.  

The decision was reached due to concerns over conjoined listed buildings. Despite acknowledging that the initiative met environmental standards, the inspector found that ‘it is not apparent that the proposal would exceed the policy requirement in the Harpenden Neighbourhood Plan”. 

Government figures published last December show that St Albans had the 11th lowest percentage of non-major planning decisions made within eight weeks during the period, with only 69.3 percent of its 3,200 decisions meeting the required timeframe. 

Read more on Planning Resource.¹⁵

1. https://www.thenbs.com/sustainable-futures-uk-report-2024
2. https://www.thenbs.com/sustainable-futures-uk-report-2024
3. https://www.architecture.com/
4. https://www.thenbs.com/sustainable-futures-uk-report-2024
5. https://www.terraquest.co.uk/
6. https://www.terraquest.co.uk/
7. https://www.rtpi.org.uk/
8. https://www.uwe.ac.uk/
9. https://www.terraquest.co.uk/
10. https://www.rtpi.org.uk/news/2024/august/more-than-95-of-planners-call-for-change-to-strategic-planning-as-government-consults-on-nppf/
11. https://www.theplanner.co.uk/2024/08/13/elmbridge-stalls-local-plan-assess-new-housing-targets
12. https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1885328/ten-authorities-risk-told-rewrite-advanced-local-plans-labours-proposed-national-policy-shake-up
13. https://www.terraquest.co.uk/
14. https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1885476/inspector-refuses-five-bed-home-first-special-measures-decision-pins-district-stripped-planning-powers
15. https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1885476/inspector-refuses-five-bed-home-first-special-measures-decision-pins-district-stripped-planning-powers