Development Management
News, key planning decisions & appeals, best practice, town planning policy & legislation for development management planners, covering housing, retail, town centres and other development types.
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Housing secretary delays Chinese mega-embassy decision for a third time by six weeks
The housing ministry has confirmed that the secretary of state has pushed back the deadline for deciding on proposals for a new Chinese mega-embassy in London for a third time to 20 January.
Knight Frank and builders must pay out £250,000 for ‘reckless’ and ‘negligent’ work on listed building in World Heritage city
A court has ordered a property consultancy and a building contractor to pay out a total of £250,000 after carrying out unauthorised work to the floor of a Grade I listed building in a World Heritage Site that a judge found to be reckless and negligent.
Two councils resolve to take enforcement action against Home Office use of hotel and army camp to house asylum seekers
Two councils have resolved to take enforcement action against the respective use by the Home Office of a four-star hotel and an army camp in their areas for asylum seeker accommodation, which they claim is a potential breach of planning rules.
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Enforcement appeals still taking more than a year to decide, according to latest stats
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Appeal Court upholds minister’s consent for Sizewell C nuclear plan
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Premier League champions of 2016 win approval for 8,000-seat expansion
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PINS chief strategy officer latest senior figure to depart agency
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‘Amazon halves drone delivery frequency at country's first site after council planning refusal’
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Statutory national development management policies ‘remains an option’ in future, Pennycook reveals
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Government consults on new London mayoral call-in powers and CIL easements of up to 80%
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AI ‘being abused in planning’ by application objectors, consultancy director claims
Development Management Discussion Forum
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Development management answers: Can you impose a condition requiring screening around a flue?
Q. We have an application for an extension to a commercial building. Basically the appearance of the proposal is acceptable except for a small but prominent flue projecting from its flat roof..
Casebook Appeal Summaries 
Development Management In Depth
The implications of the proposed expansion of the secretary of state’s application call-in powers
The government is aiming to speed up housing delivery by requiring local authorities to notify the secretary of state when they intend to reject planning applications proposing 150-plus homes. But there are concerns about the Planning Inspectorate's capacity to cope with handling more called-in applications.
How a national policy to fast-track approvals for new homes around train stations would work
The government wants to revise national planning policy to streamline approvals for “suitable” planning applications near “well-connected” train and tram stations. Practitioners suspect the policy is likely to involve officers playing a greater role in determining such applications, but warn that development sector challenges could limit its impact.
The key summer appeal decisions that you need to know about
The most downloaded inquiry, hearing, recovered appeal and call-in cases between 1 July and 30 September 2025 from our sister service COMPASS.
Eight key messages from the courts in summer 2025
Summaries of key judgments issued between 1 June and 30 September 2025
Development Management Comment
Legal Viewpoint: Court rules on new duty in setting policy for energy efficiency standards
In a key case, the Court of Appeal recently dismissed an appeal brought by campaign group Rights: Community Action Ltd against Mrs Justice Lieven’s decision in the High Court regarding councils' ability to set energy efficiency standards.
Legal Viewpoint: Court judgment highlights new water-related issue facing the planning system
Water, it seems, is having a dramatic impact on the planning system in whatever form it is encountered. Issues range from flood risk and sequential testing of development sites, particularly in relation to surface water, to the quality of water and ensuring nutrient neutrality and safeguarding water quality within sites protected under the Habitat Regulations.
Legal Viewpoint: Court quashes permission over section 106 transparency breach
The High Court has delivered a sharp reminder that transparency in planning is not “optional” but a legal requirement.
