Right to contest

What is the right to contest?

The right to contest was launched by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 8 January 2014. It provides a mechanism for anyone to seek the sale of potentially surplus or redundant publicly owned land or buildings where they could be put to better economic use. See Practice Note: Right to contest.

The government has published guidance on how the right operates and the process that applicants need to follow, including a standard application form.

Purpose

The government owns or occupies a significant amount of surplus or redundant land that Ministers believe could be put to better use.

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Chief Planner’s planning update newsletter for August 2025 published

The Chief Planner, Joanna Averley, has published a planning update newsletter for August 2025, written for the chief planning officers at local planning authorities (LPAs). The newsletter contains details of preparations for the new plan-making system, with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) urging LPAs to ensure full coverage of up-to-date local plans as soon as possible. It outlines five non-statutory activities LPAs can currently undertake to prepare for the new system under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 (LURA 2023), including early scoping work, evidence base development, engagement preparation, project management development and risk monitoring processes. The newsletter also highlights that MHCLG has provided further details on the steps it will take to reform the statutory consultee system, including introducing a national planning fee surcharge to fund statutory consultees’ planning functions via the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. MHCLG is also expected to consult soon on removing statutory consultee status from Sport England, the Theatres Trust and the Gardens Trust. Additionally, the newsletter covers the launch of the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) fees survey, the publication of PAS’ best practice self-assessment toolkit to help councils review their planning committees and the government’s decision to maintain maximum and minimum compulsory purchase thresholds for owner-occupiers.

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