Sam Stafford was in London this week and managed to catch up with some of the 50 Shades crew for a conversation about another turbulent few weeks in the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning. 

Sam met Andrew Taylor, Gilian Macinnes, Simon Ricketts and Nicola Gooch at Soho Radio Studios for a wide-ranging, whistle-stop catch-up that took in application fees in the context of wider local authority funding challenges; a new local plan consultation in the context of the ongoing crisis in local plan-making; and NSIPs in the context of Labour’s possible proposals for a new wave of new towns. The gang also touch on Green Belt, PD rights and BNG. Michael Gove’s "Long-term plan for housing" also gets a cursory mention.

Some accompanying reading.

Long-term plan for housing: Secretary of State's speech

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/long-term-plan-for-housing-secretary-of-states-speech

Plan-making reforms: consultation on implementation

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/plan-making-reforms-consultation-on-implementation

Permitted development rights

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/permitted-development-rights

Operational reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) consenting process

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/operational-reforms-to-the-nationally-significant-infrastructure-project-consenting-process

Six in ten people in England would keep the Green Belt as it is

https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/six-in-ten-people-in-england-would-keep-green-belt-as-it-is

Statement: Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds

https://www.woking.gov.uk/news/statement-community-infrastructure-levy-cil-funds

Technical consultation: Stronger performance of local planning authorities supported through an increase in planning fees: government response

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/increasing-planning-fees-and-performance-technical-consultation/outcome/technical-consultation-stronger-performance-of-local-planning-authorities-supported-through-an-increase-in-planning-fees-government-response

New towns are building blocks of Labour’s plan for UK growth

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/url-labour-party-new-towns-uk-house-building-plan-2023-d8gp3zkj2

The Golf Belt

https://golfbelt.russellcurtis.co.uk/

Sussex Section 106 agreement marks key moment for developers in Biodiversity Net Gain provision

https://www.c-l-m.co.uk/clm-news/sussex-section-106-agreement-marks-key-moment-for-developers-in-biodiversity-net-gain-provision/

The Government’s Big Move On Nutrient Neutrality – Now We Have Seen The Government’s LURB Amendment

https://simonicity.com/2023/08/29/the-governments-big-move-on-nutrient-neutrality-now-we-have-seen-the-governments-lurb-amendment/

LURB Watch 2: The nutrient amendments have landed

https://imbusiness.passle.net/post/102imu5/lurb-watch-2-the-nutrient-amendments-have-landed

Summer madness: what have you missed?

https://www.planoraks.com/posts-1/summer-madness-what-have-you-missed

Some accompanying viewing.

Three Blokes in a Bath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80sSbLzSuak

Some accompanying listening.

Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder

https://youtu.be/I1_uU9eIZRo?si=W8d-tYxQUKcq8Zh_

50 Shades T-Shirts!

If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning you will have heard Clive Betts say that...

'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'.

Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html