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We heard a lot at our events about a renewed focus on grey belt and sustainable bits of Green Belt. It got us thinking about the current state of practice in sustainability assessment.
So we’re publishing a new web-based Sustainability Assessment guide providing tips and good practice to help LPAs working on Local Plans to avoid duplication, speed up plan-making and make their plan more accessible and transparent with a focus on good quality evidence. Let us know what you think. We have a feeling that this is going to be an area of focus over the next year or two.
PAS wants to gather information on how local authority planners currently consider older person housing and how people come to a view on the Use Classes Order in relation to the different typologies of housing for older persons. If you frequently deal with planning applications for older persons housing or have best practice to share, then please come along to one of our workshops
We are looking to do some benchmarking work in preparation for the possible introduction of planning application local fee setting. These are early days so, at the moment, we would like to hear from you if you currently time record on an ongoing basis, if you have any other quality data on the costs of processing planning applications, or if you have a strong interest in participating in some benchmarking work.
Please contact Peter Ford if you would like to help us with this benchmarking work.
The Office for Place have a series of design code masterclasses starting in October and running weekly through to November, on how local authorities can get started with preparing their own design code. These hour long online sessions are free to attend and will cover topics such as getting started on your code, effective evidence base, setting a codes vision, and planning the whole process.
Further details, including links to sign up
Following the launch of its free design coding resources, the Design Council are running webinars in October to help local authority planners create effective design codes for their areas. These sessions are running on 8, 15 and 22 October. You can find out more and sign up via the Design Council website
They will be interactive and feature insights and experiences from local authorities involved in the MHCLG Design Code Pathfinder Programme covering topics such as resource optimisation, making design codes work for development managers, and how codes can help achieve broader council objectives.
Defra and Natural England colleagues delivered a short webinar giving an overview of BNG statutory credits explaining what they are and how they differ from biodiversity units. It covers what Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) should be doing to ensure that the BNG mitigation hierarchy is properly considered, and that credits are being bought correctly and used in the right circumstances. Watch the recording of the webinar and a Q & A
Natural England has recently published a short Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) video where officers from Buckinghamshire Council explain how they are enabling sustainable development whilst improving biodiversity in the local area through habitat banks. Watch the video about Lopemede Farm
MHCLG are undertaking a research survey to understand whether Government should update national planning policy and guidance for the demolition and redevelopment or retrofit of buildings. The short survey will only take about 10mins to complete and is open until the end of October. Complete the survey online
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