About Planning Law
Lexis+ Planning helps you to understand planning requirements, procedures, policy, appeals and enforcement, for developments ranging from small-scale residential extensions to nationally significant infrastructure projects. Clear, concise practice notes have direct links to relevant cases, legislation, guidance and commentary and our daily news feeds and weekly highlights keep you informed of new cases, legislation, and consultations.
Get, change, implement planning permission
We cover all key aspects of the planning application process from the procedure, viability considerations, to decision-making and material considerations, to the duty to give reasons for planning decisions.
Planning issues in property
A series of Practice Notes and Checklists outlining the planning issues for a planning title in a property transaction. How information’s revealed, what to report on, and the significance of the findings for the buyer.
Compulsory purchase
Compulsory purchase is governed by complex legislation, case law and guidance. We provide the legal requirements and good practice to help customers navigate the procedure, scope of CPOs and opportunities for challenge.
Legislation, guidance and commentary
Planning requirements, procedures, policy, appeals and enforcement. We cover developments ranging from small-scale residential extensions to nationally significant infrastructure projects.
Topics We Cover
Latest Planning News
Natural England has published its Action Plan for 2025/26, setting out how it will implement its new Strategic Direction, ‘Recovering Nature for...
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a package of reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), aimed at...
Planning analysis: The Planning Court held that the six-year limitation period for an action to be brought to recover any sum recoverable by virtue of...
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has updated the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) on plan-making to clarify how the...
The Welsh Government has published the response to its November 2024 consultation on improving the resilience and performance of planning services...
Latest Planning Practice Notes
Brexit timelineOn 23 June 2016, the UK held a referendum on its membership of the EU, with a majority voting in favour of the UK leaving the EU. On 29...
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)—enforcementIntroductionThe Community Infrastructure levy (CIL) is a charge levied in respect of development. The...
Planning key developments tracker under the Labour government—2024/25On 5 July 2024, a new Labour government was formed. This document tracks key...
The planning regime for solar energy generation in England and WalesWhat is solar energy generation?Solar energy generation involves the conversion of...
Lawful development certificatesWhat is a lawful development certificate?A lawful development certificate (LDC) is a certificate issued by a local...
Latest Planning Precedents
Highway projection licenceDATE [date]Parties1[name of Authority] of [address] ( Authority)2[name of Licensee] [of OR incorporated in England and...
Precedent compulsory purchase order indemnity agreementThis Agreement is made on [date]BETWEEN1[Council] whose principal place of business is...
Contract for sale—freehold vacant possession conditional on planningdate [date]Parties1[name of Seller] [of OR incorporated in England and Wales...
Environmental Information Regulations 2004, Data Protection Act 1998, Freedom of Information Act 2000—provision for disclosure by a local authority...
Environmental Information Regulations 2004—log sheet for verbal request for environmental information1. Name of applicant[insert details]2. If the...
Latest Planning Q&As
Featured Planning content
Statutory wayleaves and rights of access
Statutory wayleaves and rights of accessUtilitiesThe water, gas, electricity, communications and energy industries enjoy statutory rights of access...
Planning conditions—the six tests
Planning conditions—the six testsPowers to impose planning conditionsThe general powers for local planning authorities (LPAs) to impose conditions on...
What rights of access are there over an unadopted road, the owner of which is unknown?
What is a section 111 agreement?
Where a roadway is adopted by the local highways authority, can it also form part of an individual property owner's registered title? What is the effect if a way is both adopted but also shown as within a registered title to a residential property?
Section 215 notice requiring maintenance of land
Section 215 notice requiring maintenance of landIntroductionThe purpose of section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA 1990) is to...
Can a Grampian condition be imposed in respect of works which require Planning Permission in their own right?
Bias and pre-determination in planning cases
Bias and pre-determination in planning casesScope of bias and pre-determination in planning casesBias and pre-determination can be an issue in...
Permitted development in Wales
Permitted development in WalesPlanning permission is required for the development of land. 'Development', which is defined in the Town and Country...
Declaratory relief of planning decisions
Declaratory relief of planning decisionsA declaratory judgment is a judgment identifying the rights, duties or obligations of one or more parties in a...
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)What is a Site of Special Scientific Interest?Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are sites in...
If an unadopted highway has fallen into disrepair, what rights are open to an individual whose right to pass and repass over that highway has been restricted by the state of disrepair?
Are there any restrictions on amending the red line on a planning application before it is determined?
What is a town or village green?
What is a town or village green?The existence of a town or village green (TVG) may restrict or even prevent development. It is a criminal offence to...
Material change of use
Material change of useControl of developmentPursuant to section 57 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA 1990), planning permission is...
Is there a limitation period for water authorities to require a build over agreement to be entered into (for example, if a building had been in existence for 12 years without a relevant build over agreement in place)? Are there any specific powers to require a build over agreement to be entered into retrospectively (if the authority owned the sewer prior to the 2011 transfer)?
Implementing a CPO—notice to treat and General Vesting Declaration
Implementing a CPO—notice to treat and General Vesting DeclarationContextThe confirmation of a compulsory purchase order (CPO) does not vest title in...
The Crichel Down Rules
The Crichel Down RulesThe Crichel Down Rules (the Rules) require that in certain circumstances, surplus government land that was acquired by, or under...
Associated legal terms
Benchmark Land Value (BLV)
The land value determined as part of a viability assessment. The starting point is EUV plus an evidence-based premium, in some cases the AUV may also be deemed appropriate.
Clawback (overage)
A post-development appraisal of a development to obtain a deferred contribution/payment.
Compulsory Purchase Order
Public bodies, such as local planning authorities, have compulsory purchase powers to enable them to carry out their statutory functions. A compulsory purchase order (CPO) is an order made by a public body under statutory powers to enable them to acquire land to carry out statutory functions, such as to develop land or construct road schemes.
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