Room 106

This is the fourth edition of our new monthly series examining the key appeal and court decisions from the past four weeks.

As before, we speak to technical editor David Dewar, who compiles the long-running Casebook section of Planning. 

This week, we will be discussing: 

• Two notable appeal decisions – one of which show how a future drop in housing land supply can be an important material consideration for inspectors even if the current position is adequate and protected for the near future, while the other demonstrates that neighbourhood plans still have teeth. 
• Ministerial decisions on data centre proposals in the green belt and how it reflects changing national planning policy on green belt.
• A Court of Appeal judgment that backed an inspector's consideration of the so-called ‘downstream’ impacts of future carbon emissions when allowing an oil drilling project.

More information on all these cases can be found in the July 2025 edition of monthly Casebook on Planning Resource. 

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 more than 50 years. 

Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMag 

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Deep Dive edition, we discuss how rising public concern about sewage pollution in rivers, plus inadequate levels of investment in water treatment capacity, is leading to thousands of new homes across England being blocked or postponed.

Planning editor Richard Garlick and Planning special correspondent Joey Gardiner discuss Joey’s investigation into the issue, published by Planning last week.

It shows how:

• water companies are recommending that many applications for homes are refused, or conditions blocking occupation applied, because of water treatment capacity issues
• in one area in which 300,000 homes are needed by 2030, the planned investment in water treatment capacity improvements is only adequate for 175,000, not all of them in places where the planning system says homes are needed
• in the same area, there is a particular shortage of capacity in large towns and cities where growth would normally be focussed
• similar issues are affecting housebuilding in other parts of England, with at least one council imposing conditions restricting occupation without having been asked to do so by the local water company, and having had its approach endorsed at appeal

In addition, we’ll be rounding up the key planning news from the past week to make sure you’re up to speed on all the goings-on in the sector. 

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 more than 50 years. 

Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @PlanningMag 

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we will be discussing:

• The Planning Inspectorate announcing an expansion of the ‘simplified’ written appeal process to far more cases in an effort to speed up decisions.
• The government’s ten-year infrastructure strategy and what it means for planners.
• The government’s withdrawal of funding for neighbourhood planning support services.

In addition, we’ll be rounding up the key planning news from the past week to make sure you’re up to speed on all the goings-on in the sector. 

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 more than 50 years. 

Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @PlanningMag 

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Deep Dive edition, we discuss:

• Government proposals to boost developers’ build-out rates for consented housing sites
• The planning consultancies that employ the most female planners

In addition, we’ll be rounding up the key planning news from the past week to make sure you’re up to speed on all the goings-on in the sector. 

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 more than 50 years. 

Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @PlanningMag 

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we discuss: 

• A local authority threatening legal action and blasting a planning inspector after their local plan was found to have failed the legal duty to cooperate. 
• The housing ministry removing three councils from planning performance special measures. 
• The key takeaways for planners from the government’s spending review. 
• Keir Starmer announcing the launch of an AI tool, which promises to cut planning officers’ time. 

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 more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @PlanningMag 

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Deep Dive edition, we will be examining:

• The growth of logistics developments – how the planning system is treating these kinds of schemes and the issues they present for planning professionals.
• Why commercial-to-residential permitted development applications have hit a record high.

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 more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @PlanningMag 

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we will be discussing a spate of big planning announcements from the government. We will be focusing on the proposed measures to:

• Increase developer’s build-out rates for permitted sites.
• Streamline planning committee decision-making, and toughen up one of the criteria for planning performance ‘special measures’ designation.
• Support smaller builders, including via significant revisions to the biodiversity net gain system.

We’ll also be highlighting some of the key reaction to the proposals.

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 more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMag 

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Deep Dive edition, we will be examining:

• How councils and mayors that are now controlled by the Reform party will use their planning powers.
• What a recent Court of Appeal ruling means for the timing of when local authorities have to publish planning gain legal agreements.

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 more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMag 

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the third edition of our new monthly series examining the key appeal and court decisions from the past four weeks.

As before, we speak to technical editor David Dewar, who compiles the long-running Casebook section of Planning. 

This week, we will be discussing: 

• Two notable appeal decisions – one of which considers how the new ‘golden rules’ for residential development on green belt apply to residential institutions in the C2 use class, while the other is a secretary of state decision on a development consent order (DCO) seeking the expansion of a regional airport. 
• How ministers are placing increasing weight on economic growth when considering DCOs for major infrastructure projects.
• A High Court judgment that ruled that an animal research and medical facility could be considered a commercial use in the Class E use class and therefore eligible to be converted to housing under permitted development rights. 

More information on all these cases can be found in the April 2025 edition of Monthly Casebook on Planning Resource. 

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 more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMag 

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we will be discussing:

• The High Court quashing an inspector’s rejection of 120 green belt homes because he failed to consider whether the scheme met the new ‘golden rules’ for green belt housebuilding.
• A minister allowing plans for a huge green belt data centre after finding that the proposal meets the new ‘grey belt’ and ‘inappropriate development’ tests in national planning policy.
• The launching of the first consultation on the next version of London’s overarching spatial strategy, the London Plan, which mayor Sadiq Khan marked by announcing a dramatic change in approach to development on the capital’s 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 more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMag 

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.