Weekly planning news
Planning news - 27 February 2025
New householder permitted development rights could cause ‘uncertainty’
A proposed private member’s bill introducing new household Permitted Development rights—allowing four-storey extensions in urban areas—has sparked debate in the House of Lords, with ministers warning it could lead to confusion and uncertainty in the planning system.
The Permitted Development Rights Extension Bill was debated in the House of Lords on 7 February. If passed, it would grant homeowners greater flexibility to extend properties, including raising roof heights, adding side and rear extensions, increasing party walls, and adding floors to bungalows. The bill also proposes allowing buildings in town centres to be extended by up to four storeys and simplifying the installation of air source heat pumps, solar panels, and EV charging points by removing the need for a planning application.
These proposed changes follow the last government’s updates to permitted development rights concerning the repurposing of agricultural buildings1—an amendment that sparked controversy and was dubbed the ‘Clarkson Clause’.
According to Planning magazine2, Labour peer Baroness Taylor of Stevenage expressed caution about the bill, highlighting the need to strike the right balance between homeowners’ ability to maximise space and the interests of local communities. She also warned that if these changes were introduced through primary legislation, there would be no consultation period to gather stakeholder input. If delivered later through secondary legislation, she argued, it could create further uncertainty in the planning process.
£600 million investment to drive Welsh wind farm expansion
The UK’s shift to renewable energy has taken another leap forward, with Bute Energy securing a £600 million investment from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners to develop 10 wind farms across Wales. If approved, these projects could generate enough power for 2.25 million homes, making a significant contribution to the UK’s net-zero ambitions.
The Twyn Hywel wind farm has already been granted planning permission and is set to power 81,000 homes. Meanwhile, nine further projects are progressing through the planning system, forming part of a £3 billion onshore wind initiative aligned with the Welsh Government’s goal of achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2035.
Grey belt policy continues to shape planning decisions as battery storage facility approved
The Planning Inspectorate has overturned Trafford Council’s refusal of a 35MW battery storage facility in Carrington, citing the emerging grey belt designation—despite recent scepticism over the policy’s effectiveness in a House of Lords report. This decision sets a precedent for similar projects, particularly in renewable energy, as the UK moves toward net-zero targets.
Trafford Council initially rejected the application over concerns about its impact on the countryside, but the inspector ruled that the site does not strongly contribute to green belt purposes, making it eligible for development under grey belt rules. This, along with other recent decisions3, highlights how the policy is enabling projects that would likely have been refused just months ago.
However, earlier this month, the Built Environment Committee reported the findings of its grey belt inquiry to the Deputy Prime Minister, concluding that the policy is having little meaningful impact4. While the government aims to build 1.5 million homes by 2029, estimates of how much land the policy will unlock vary significantly—from 50,000 to 4 million homes—raising concerns about its clarity and effectiveness.
- https://www.planningportal.co.uk/services/weekly-planning-news/planning-news-9-may-2024
- https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1907577/tory-peers-bill-seeking-new-householder-pd-rights-cause-confusion-uncertainty-says-lords-minister
- https://www.planningportal.co.uk/services/weekly-planning-news/planning-news-23-january-2025
- https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/518/built-environment-committee/news/205110/grey-belt-policy-having-only-a-marginal-impact-at-best/
