The new draft NPPF seeks to progress a vision-led approach to transport planning, but the guidance to support it has only been consulted upon with local authorities. As for the draft NPPF itself, there is a new approach to the "severe" test, and the Government wants more development around railway stations, but is suggesting it be limited to 800m. In this fourth episode of the 'NPPF Flashpoint' series, Christopher Young KC and James Corbet Burcher are joined by Phil Jones (Chairman of PJA, a...

Freight and logistics are a huge part of the UK Economy. The new draft NPPF provides for the first time a specific national policy for freight and logistics (Policy E3), and "substantial" weight is now to be given to economic development when there is unmet need, but there are still no targets for increasing capacity in the freight and logistics sector. In the third of the series on 'NPPF Flashpoints', Christopher Young KC and Christian Hawley are joined by Angie Fenton, Senior Director...

The Government has long recognised that there is a “critical” need for more specialist accommodation for elderly people. The UK has a rapidly aging population; 17% of the population in the USA and 13% of the population in Australia live in this type of accommodation, whereas in the UK, it is just 1%. In the second of a series on 'NPPF Flashpoints', in relation to the draft NPPF presently out for consultation, Christopher Young KC and Leanne Buckley-Thomson of No5 Barristers'​ Chambers discuss...

The draft NPPF proposes to change the definition of Veteran Trees. Around 3 to 4 times as many trees may be covered by the new definition. A veteran tree with a diameter of 2 metres enjoys a protection zone around the trunk in a circle that measures 60 metres in diameter. Plainly, this could present profound implications for some development proposals. Christopher Young KC and Jessica Allen are joined by leading Chartered Arboriculturalist Julian Forbes-Laird to discuss the issue and what dev...

Following the much-anticipated hand-down by the Supreme Court of judgment in CG Fry v SSHCLG [2025] UKSC 35, Daniel Henderson is joined by James Corbet Burcher and Chatura Saravanan to unpack the Court’s analysis of the two main issues, and the legal, policy, and practical implications going forward.

Daniel Henderson is joined by pupil barrister in the No5 Planning and Environmental Group, Chatura Saravanan, to discuss a number of recent appeal decisions concerning residential schemes, and to identify key takeaways. Also, we have includes the links to some of the appeals discussed. Character and appearance and PDL Land at 1-5 Hillside, Portsmouth Road - APP/K3605/W/24/3350737 Link to appeal decision: https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?caseid=3350737 VSC with...

In light of recent legislative changes and policy announcements, we are at something of a hinge-point as to a vital question in planning practice – what is national policy, how is it organised, and what is its effect? In this episode, Daniel Henderson and James Corbet Burcher discuss the recent Court of Appeal judgment in Mead Realisations v SSHCLG [2025] EWCA Civ 32, put it into some context, and seek to explore what its effect might be in future months, following LURA and recent policy chan...

In the second of a two-part series, Daniel Henderson, James Corbet Burcher, and Sioned Davies discuss the basics of ‘how to do a hearing’, this time from the perspective of a Local Planning Authority.

Given the policy framework in which we now find ourselves in 2025, it is inevitable that practitioners are going to see a significant uptick in appeal work in the coming months. Many of those appeals are going to be listed by PINS as hearings. For newcomers as well as those who are familiar with the format, hearings can be mysterious and procedurally difficult. To that end, in this episode, Daniel Henderson, James Corbet Burcher, and Sioned Davies present a basic discussion on ‘how to do hear...

After months of anticipation, the new NPPF is finally here, heralding what the Deputy Prime Minister has called a “landmark overhaul” to “shake-up a broken planning system”. In this episode, Daniel Henderson is joined by Peter Goatley KC, Christian Hawley, and Sioned Davies to pick over some of the most important reforms, and assess their potential impact for developers and local authorities alike.