Room 106

By Planning magazineBusiness Education Government

Room 106 episodes

July 19, 2023Ep55: When we can expect the government’s national planning policy revisions to eventually appear, why a parliamentary committee thinks the revisions would put the government’s annual 300,000-home target out of reach, and much more
Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag
In this episode:
Housing secretary Michael Gove has confirmed that the NPPF revisions will not appear until at least September – we look at when they are likely to finally appear.
An influential parliamentary committee has warned that the government’s 300,000-home a year housebuilding target would be ‘impossible to achieve’ under its proposed NPPF changes – we explain how it came to that conclusion.
The government’s new infrastructure levy is intended to replace existing methods of securing money from developers to pay for infrastructure and affordable housing. Ministers have now said councils will be able to require some of the contributions to be paid in-kind – we explain the details.
PLUS, we round up the most important news stories of the past fortnight.

Room 106 is the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24.
A transcript of the podcast will be available to download here shortly.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
19 min
July 12, 2023Ep54: Can we expect the government’s stalled planning changes to move forward, and if so, when?
Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag
In this bonus edition, we discuss the government’s stalled programme of changes to the planning system, including:
What do those who work closely with government think are the reasons for the delay?
Are there political factors, and political hurdles that the government is waiting to get past before it pushes forward with the changes?
What stages does the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill still have to go through before it becomes law (clearing the way for the government to announce the further NPPF changes it has promised), and how long is this likely to take?
PLUS, we round up the most important news stories of the past week.
A transcript of the podcast will be available to download here shortly.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
14 min
July 06, 2023Ep53: The implications of Labour’s green belt plans, why a clergyman’s wife was referred to police, and plans to boost council planning recruits
Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag
In this episode we:
Explore the possible implications of a would-be Labour government’s plan to order combined authorities to identify “poor-quality” green belt land for new homes to tackle the housing crisis.
Dig out the details of a government-backed scheme that aims to recruit 150 graduates for local authority planning departments by 2025 is due to launch in September.
Explain the full story behind a Conservative councillor’s referral to the police after failing to disclose to planning officers that her husband was an Anglican clergyman when delegating reserved matters on a 180-home application on Church of England land.
Summarise the other big news stories of the past fortnight.
PLUS we say a big thank you to our listeners for helping Room 106 win the 2023 Professional Publishers Association ‘Podcast of the Year’ award.
A transcript of the podcast will be available to download from the Planning website shortly.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 min
June 28, 2023Ep52: How new plans to relax change of use rules for vacant high street sites could work, and what this could mean for your local pub
Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag
In this bonus episode we investigate new government proposals to further ease rules for converting high street premises to new uses. We look at:
The proposals involve auctioning new uses for vacant sites – how would the process work?
What part would the new permitted development (PD) rights play in the auction process?
How widely would industry commentators expect such rights to be used?
Some commentators have raised concerns about the possible impact on pubs – what are they worried about?
PLUS we summarise the other big news stories of the past fortnight.
By the end of the show, you’ll be able to face questions from a client or chief executive with equanimity.
A transcript of the podcast will be available to download here shortly.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 min
June 21, 2023Ep51: How Gove is factoring design considerations into his decisions, more fallout from the May local elections and government promises of more planning support for farm diversification
Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag
In this episode:
A developer has withdrawn a 200-home reserved matters application that housing secretary Michael Gove had called in on design grounds – we discuss what that tells us about Gove’s approach to design.
Two new council administrations have paused plans and projects following May’s local elections – we find out what’s going on.
The government has promised to consult on making it easier to convert “redundant agricultural buildings” into homes and on changing permitted development rules to “support farm diversification” – we explore the implications.
PLUS we’ll summarise the other big news stories of the past fortnight, including the verdict on Jeremy Clarkson’s planning appeal.
By the end of the show, you’ll be able to face questions from a client or chief executive with equanimity.
A transcript of the podcast will be available to download here shortly.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 min
June 14, 2023Ep50: Will the government really strip planning powers from ten councils, and what are the implications of the London mayor’s new push to secure social housing from developers?
Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag
In this bonus episode:
We ask how likely it is that the government will follow through on its threat to strip planning powers from ten councils?
We explore what difference the London mayor’s draft revised guidance on development viability and affordable housing will make to developers and local authorities.
PLUS we’ll summarise the other big news stories of the past fortnight.
A transcript of the podcast will be available to download from the Planning website shortly.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 min
June 07, 2023Ep49: The government’s proposed new high street permitted development rights, Labour’s plan for cheaper compulsory acquisitions and the grants threat to neighbourhood planning
Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag
In this episode:
The government is proposing to further extend permitted development rights for high street premises – we’ll explain what’s under consideration.
The Labour Party has said it intends to allow councils to compulsorily acquire land for housebuilding more cheaply than they can at present – we’ll explore what that might mean.
And consultants warn that the future of neighbourhood planning 'hangs in the balance' due to uncertainty about a key grant programme.
PLUS we’ll summarise the other big news stories of the past fortnight.
By the end of the show you’ll be in prime position to host the next office planning quiz.
A transcript of the podcast will be available to download from the Planning website shortly.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 min
June 01, 2023Ep48: Deep dive into Labour’s planning pledges and the implications of the May election results
In this episode we take a deep dive into:
What we know about what a Labour government would do in planning terms, including:
Its pledge to reintroduce requirements on local areas to build in line with local need
Its willingness to consider changing changing green belt rules
We also investigate the planning implications of May’s local election results.
PLUS we’ll summarise the other key news stories of the past week.
Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag
A transcript of the podcast will be available to download shortly.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 min
May 24, 2023Ep47: Planning powers of ten councils potentially in jeopardy after Gove’s warning, plus an inspector’s decision to allow 100 homes on the Surrey green belt
Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag
In this episode we will explore:
housing secretary Michael Gove’s warning to ten councils to improve the speed of their decision-making, or face having their planning powers reduced
the decision of an inspector to allow 100 homes on the Surrey green belt after finding a council’s housing land supply to have been just 1.5 years.
PLUS we’ll round up the other key news stories of the past week.
A transcript of the podcast will be available to download here shortly.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 min
May 17, 2023Ep46: Do Jeremy Clarkson’s criticisms of the planning system stack up? Plus Gove’s threatening letter to councils, and other key news stories of the past week
Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag
In this episode we take a deep dive into:
The complaints about planning made by Jeremy Clarkson in the second series of his documentary Clarkson’s Farm, after the local authority refused his barn to restaurant conversion plan.
How councils have responded to these criticisms.
We’ll also investigate some threatening letters from Michael Gove to local authorities that have been slow to make decisions.
PLUS we’ll summarise the other key news stories of the past week.
Read our full feature on Clarkson's criticisms of the planning system here
A transcript of the podcast will be available to download here shortly.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 min

About Room 106

From the publisher's feed

Key recent planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for nearly 50 years. planningresource.co.uk @planningMag