Alex King

A High Court judge has quashed a council’s approval of a part-retrospective planning application to convert agricultural land into a two-pitch Travellers’ site.

A fourth local authority has rejected updating its constitution to align with the government’s impending national scheme of delegation, which limits the ability of elected members to make planning decisions.

An inspector has allowed outline proposals for up to 200 homes on green belt land in Surrey of which half would be affordable after finding that, despite harm to the surrounding landscape, the site should be considered grey belt and the area’s housing land supply was less than three years.

A council has lost its ability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply at appeal, while another has published a new housing land supply position revealing a land supply shortfall in its district, despite previously being able to meet the requirement.

At least four local authorities in England have refused to amend their constitutions to comply with the government’s national delegation scheme. Commentators warn that this could see all planning applications delegated to officers, heighten tensions between councillors and officers, and see councils and developers engaging in costly legal challenges.

At least four local authorities in England have refused to amend their constitutions to comply with the government’s national delegation scheme. Commentators warn that this could see all planning applications delegated to officers, heighten tensions between councillors and officers, and see councils and developers engaging in costly legal challenges.

A High Court judge has quashed a city council’s decision to approve a university college’s controversial plans to redevelop a library building, following a legal challenge from a campaign group who claimed that committee members had been “misled” over the heritage impacts.

A district council has approved an outline planning application submitted by a property developer and a county council for 3,200 homes across four allocated sites on the outskirts of a town, after officers noted the area’s housing land supply shortfall.

The total area of land designated as green belt in England fell last year for the third year running, shrinking by 480 hectares in 2025/26, according to new government statistics.

The planning minister has pushed back by three months the end-of-year examination submission deadline for councils with draft local plans prepared under the current system if they reach the second formal consultation stage by 31 December, a letter sent earlier today (Friday) reveals.