News and Resources

“Let’s see what more announcements the coming week brings…” was my sign off to last week’s ‘Twas The Week Before Recess blog post. After this week your holiday reading now includes: A new NPPF and national model design code The revised NPPF was published on 20 July 2021, along with the new national model design …

The House of Commons and House of Lords both rise on 22 July 2021 and are due to return on 6 September 2021, which means that each year this week and next we always see many documents published and announcements made. Much festivity. This week last year the Planning White Paper was eagerly awaited of …

“…in a taxing Act one has to look merely at what is clearly said. There is no room for any intendment. There is no equity about a tax. There is no presumption as to a tax. Nothing is to be read in, nothing is to be implied. One can only look fairly at the language …

To what extent is human safety, and the safe construction of buildings, a matter for the planning system? It can be difficult to determine and this blog post just scratches the surface – there’s a book to be written by someone (not me!) on the subject. Last week the High Court handed down judgment in …

What are “very special circumstances” which may justify the grant of planning permission for inappropriate development in the green belt? Of course there is no definitive answer to that question. As set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (this is about application of national policy, rather than a matter of legislation), it is for …

…really don’t want other people to have houses, do they? The prime minister can hardly be surprised when the affluent home-owning constituents of Chesham and Amersham register a protest vote against his plans for change, thinking that in some way he is coming for their beautiful part of the country, even though it bristles with …

Certificates of lawfulness are very useful, but care is still needed, as two recent cases illustrate. But first, to explain about the two types of certificate provided for under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the consequent jargon about CLEUDs and CLOPUDs. The “certificate of lawfulness of existing use or development” (“CLEUD”) procedure, …

I tweeted that yesterday was the 5th anniversary of my first simonicity blog post. 273 posts later and 496,000 words (War and Peace = 587,000 words) and to what effect? As I also said, it can be deflating to look back. So many posts expressing frustration about the same topics, yes obviously CIL, but also …

The Government’s First Homes announcements this week mean that we all need to understand the practicalities as to how this new form of discounted market sale housing will work and to plan around three key implementation dates. On 24 May 2021 we had the formal ministerial statement together with the publication of MHCLG guidance providing …

Government approves plan to turn Whitechapel Bell Foundry into boutique hotel (The Standard, 17 May 2021). Well, what do we think about that? Bell foundry that cast Big Ben can be turned into boutique hotel, UK government says – Decision has drawn wave of criticism from culture and heritage professionals, accusing government of ‘money-grabbing philistinism’ …