The consultation on reforms to national planing policy and proposed changes to the wording of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) closed on March 2nd. The government are now consulting on Environmental Outcome Reports and a techinal consultation on the Infrastructure Levy. In light of these consultations and the proposed changes we are continually reviewing our current Local Plan support offers, tools and templates. Keep an eye out here and sign up to the PAS Newsletter where we will keep you all updated.
Planning Advisory Service offers critical friend support to Local Planning Authorities on Project Management, Evidence Base collation & review and the Duty to Cooperate. Visit our plan making support pages to find out more and get in touch.
The Local Plan Route Mapper & Toolkit gives practical advice and tools to undertake a Local Plan review, project plan, manage and carry out the update of a Local Plan. It is designed for LPAs to use themselves but we can work with local authorities to use it as a “critical friend”. Visit our local plan production routemapper support pages to find out more and get in touch.
Last year PAS ran 4 sessions on ‘Future Proofing the Local Plan making Process’. Plan makers discussed what it’s like ‘carrying on planning’ at the moment including housing numbers, up to date evidence bases, site selection, procurement, the Duty, Climate Change and what makes for a smoother examination process. Visit our future proofing the local plan support page to find out more and get in touch.
The appropriate focus and detail of evidence required to support a local plan will vary from for different places and will require planners to make professional judgements to assess an area and develop a plan appropriate to its own circumstances. This note sets out advice and information that should be considered when collating evidence to support a local plan. It is designed for LPAs to use themselves but we can work with local authorities to use it as a “critical friend”. Visit our evidence base support pages to find out more and get in touch.
The use of new technology is changing how we reach out to and engage with our communities. It is also changing the way in which communities are taking part in the planning system. We have also produced an advice note and template to help LPAs produce their Local Plan Regulation 22 Consultation Statement of Main Issue for examination.Visit our consultatation and engement support pages to find out more and get in touch.
Visit our duty to cooperate support pages to find out more and get in touch.
The role for local plans in mitigating climate change and achieving carbon neutrality are clear to everyone. The ability to deliver that role is, in practice, limited to some degree by current frameworks and legislation arguably not reflecting the National ambitions and targets set by Government, and the viability challenges of delivering developments to the highest standards.
Climate change mitigation is gradually becoming more of an examination issue. The NPPF update in June 2021 brought climate change mitigation in the description of the presumption in favour of sustainable development and there is National guidance about how local plans can mitigate against climate change. We've signposted some resources here:
A Guide for Local Authorities on Planning for Climate Change (2023)
We have four key workstreams on planning and the environment.
- Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) - PAS has set of resources to support local authorities moving towards the introduction of mandatory biodiversity net gain through the Environment Act started in 2021. PAS has a BNG practitioner network for local authority officers.Visit our BNG Pages for more information.
- Nature Recovery Network (NRN) & Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS). The PAS Nature Recovery Network project is funded by Natural England and supports local authorities to get ready for delivering the Nature Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategies and sharing approaches and experience to date. Visit our NRN & LNRS Pages for more information.
- Nutrient Neutrality - Since Spring 2022 we've been supporting local authorities to manage the impacts of nutrient neutrality and deliver mitigation, through sharing knowledge, technical skills, experience and best practice. Visit our Nutrient Neutrality Pages for more information.
- Environmental Outcome Reports - How we assess the impacts of development, plans and policies, otherwise known as Environmental Assessment, is going to change with the introduction of Environmental Outcome Reports (EOR). What can we identify and learn from the current Sustainability Appraisal, Strategic Environmental Assessment and Environment Impact Assessment processes? And how do ensure that the new system of assessment and the preparation of EORs works better? PAS held a webinar on the EOR consultation on 30th March to provide information on the consultation. You can access the EOR consultation webinar here.