December 2020 statistics from the Government show that the percentage of applications granted permission by local planning authorities has dropped. If you have recently been refused planning permission then you have a right of appeal, and our book can help you. The appeal goes to the Government and is an independent review of the refusal. There is a deadline for lodging the appeal, so don't delay in acting.

Permitted development rights were relaxed earlier in 2020 to allow extensions upwards to existing blocks of flats to provide additional flats. The Government has recently announced a change to the regulations that require fire safety for external wall construction to be an additional matter that must be submitted for prior approval.

Earlier this year the Government introduced new housing targets for local authorities, with numbers coming from a new algorithm. That saw greater increase in rural areas, prompting a backlash by many. This 'mutant algorithm', as it was dubbed, has now been changed to increase housebuilding in urban areas: an uplift of 35% will instead be applied to 20 cities and urban centres.

A study by the Royal Town Planning Institute has found that more than half of the public agreed changes to local places, spaces and services will need to happen to adapt to life post pandemic – and that they want to be involved in these decisions. The need for more public spaces and green areas was particularly strongly noted.

The Government has announced consultation on further proposed changes to permitted development rights. There have been many changes over the summer to allow new uses and new development without the need to apply for planning permission. The latest changes would allow more commercial properties, including shops, to change to residential use. As ever, there are a lot of controls and caveats, but this could be another significant change in the planning system.

A House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) is where a single family house is used for more than one household. Up to a certain number that may still fall within the same use class as a dwellinghouse, but over three means that a change of use may occur. This can prove controversial with local residents, as this news article shows.

It was World Town Planning Day on 8 November, and it made a special playlist on BBC 6Music. Catch up with a town planning themed playlist on the BBC Sounds page!
Photo by Eric Nopanen on Unsplash

As the Government seeks to boost the building of new housing across the country, they are finding it runs into opposition - including from their own Ministers. The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has become the latest Minister to object to a planning application for housing in her constituency, as this report explains.