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.

Costs can be awarded in planning appeals against any party involved in the process: appellant, local planning authority or third parties. Costs can also be claimed, and local planning authorities understandably often want to try to recover what can be large sums in the biggest cases. This Council in Ledbury is planning to do just that.

One of the Government's recent announcements is to give the Planning Inspectorate the ability to use more than one procedure (written representations, hearings and Inquiries) at the same time when dealing with an appeal. More details to follow, but the Government says this will make appeals happen faster.