It’s cold, wet and miserable and, alas, there is little in Michael Gove’s recent Written Ministerial Statement to warm the cockles of a planner’s heart. Hopefully then the return of the 50 Shades of Planning Festive Christmas Quiz will spread some seasonal cheer.

Even by the standards of the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning it has been quite a year. With the help of Richard Garlick at Planning magazine, who provided Sam Stafford with some of the most-read stories on PlanningResource.co.uk, Sam quizzes some of the 50 Shades alumni on 2022’s highlights and lowlights.

Expect fun, frivolity and an appearance from a very special guest…

Some accompanying reading

January

Minister announces new performance measures for planning inspectors to speed up appeal decisions

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1738709/minister-announces-new-performance-measures-planning-inspectors-speed-appeal-decisions

February

Government announces first council to be designated under ‘special measures’ programme for seven years

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1739648/government-announces-first-council-designated-special-measures-programme-seven-years

March

Councils to freeze decisions on housing applications following Natural England recreation advice

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1749748/councils-freeze-decisions-housing-applications-following-natural-england-recreation-advice#:~:text=A%20moratorium%20on%20determining%20planning,damage%20a%20protected%20forest%20site.

April

Councils three times more likely to successfully defend design refusals following NPPF change, research finds

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1754069/councils-three-times-likely-successfully-defend-design-refusals-following-nppf-change-research-finds

May

New leader says council to consider withdrawing local plan after branding housing target as ‘nonsense’

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1788258/new-leader-says-council-consider-withdrawing-local-plan-branding-housing-target-nonsense

June

New NPPF to come out next month, says Gove

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1789261/new-nppf-next-month-says-gove

July

Truss pledges new simplified planning zones to create 21st century Bournvilles

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1794102/truss-pledges-new-simplified-planning-zones-create-21st-century-bournvilles

August

Government plans to take powers to shorten national infrastructure examinations

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1797265/government-plans-powers-shorten-national-infrastructure-examinations?bulletin=planning-daily&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=eNews%20Bulletin&utm_source=20220830&utm_content=Planning%20Resource%20Daily%20(75)::www_planningresource_co_uk_art&email_hash=

September

Affordable housing and environmental requirements ‘to be relaxed in new investment zones’

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1799678/affordable-housing-environmental-requirements-to-relaxed-new-investment-zones#:~:text=Services%20Guide%20Show-,Affordable%20housing%20and%20environmental%20requirements%20'to,relaxed%20in%20new%20investment%20zones'&text=The%20government%20is%20set%20to,growth%2C%20according%20to%20media%20reports.

October

Gove returns as levelling up secretary

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1803168/gove-returns-levelling-secretary

November

Half of councils lack the capacity to monitor compliance with planning enforcement, says survey

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1806623/half-councils-lack-capacity-monitor-compliance-planning-enforcement-says-survey

December

Government promises ‘strengthened’ green belt protections and penalties for ‘slow’ developers

https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1807348/government-promises-strengthened-green-belt-protections-penalties-slow-developers