The new year has lived up to its promise. We are super busy doing everything we love with councils across the country—lucky us. We are in the middle of our NPPF event series. Hopefully, you will have managed to attend as many as you need. If not, all presentations are available on our website after the event. Our website is a great resource and worth bookmarking.
We have also held another very successful residential course for Planning Committee chairs under our Leadership Essentials Programme and hope to hold more events soon.
We also have events coming up over the next few months on Design Codes and addressing nature emergencies. Thank you to everyone who has managed to book onto PAS at 20. We are running a waiting list, so if you can no longer attend, let us know, and we'll fill your place. This only works with a bit of notice!
Anna Rose
Head of PAS
You will recall the Chief Planner has asked for councils to submit their LDS timetable updates for local plan making by 6 March 2025 in her December 24 Newsletter
Following questions raised about this at our NPPF Local Plans and Transitional Arrangements Webinar (held on 16 January) we have prepared LDS Update FAQs. Take a look at the write-ups to the NPPF webinars and follow the link to the Transitional Arrangements Webinar.
PAS and MHCLG are supporting nine English regional local authority networks to share experiences and help tailor support around design and place shaping.
Following a fantastic level of interest we are really pleased to have selected nine authority representatives for each region to help steer each network. If your local or combined authority would be interested in joining your region's design and place network we are asking you to registered via completion of a short survey
As part of the series of workshops with MHCLG and Design Code Pathfinder authorities, we are hosting an online session on monitoring the impact of the use of Design Codes for Development Management officers. It will be an opportunity to hear from Pathfinder local authorities about how their development management officers have been using their codes and are monitoring their impacts.
The repeated sessions are being held on the afternoons of 13 and 20 March. Places are limited and expected to fill up fast. Book your place
Recordings from the previous sessions, which focused on the role of DM officers in the production and using of design codes can be found on our website
This online event for councillors will cover the challenges and opportunities their role presents to address the nature emergency and take action to deliver nature recovery. It is especially relevant to cabinet members and portfolio holders. Councillors can sign up to one of two repeat sessions at 3pm or 6pm on 2 April
Please can we remind you that the new planning application fees schedule has been laid in Parliament with an implementation date due for 1 April 2025. It is proposed that there will be a doubling of the householder, prior approval and condition discharge fees, a new tiered fee for S73 applications and other fees to rise in line with inflation.
Natural England has produced a short video about the Impact Risk Zones for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI IRZs). SSSI IRZs are a tool to help local planning authorities decide quickly and simply when to consult Natural England on developments that might affect an SSSI. The video includes step-by-step instructions on how to use the new SSSI IRZs tool launched in July 2024. If you have any questions or your authority would like direct training from Natural England on SSSI IRZs, please contact [email protected]
Read more about the emerging Protected Site Strategies
Each month, the LGA Sustainability Bulletin delivers a roundup of the latest developments in local government climate action, including:
- best practice case studies from councils across the country
- training opportunities, such as carbon literacy courses
- policy updates and key sustainability news.
By subscribing, you will have access to the tools and knowledge needed to drive meaningful change in communities.
The Homes England Autumn Learning Programme playlist is now available on YouTube, containing edited recordings of all the Autumn Learning Programme sessions
These sessions can also be accessed via the Local Government Resources playlist, which now includes over 100 recordings from Local Government Capacity Centre Learning Programmes to date for you to listen back to
