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
Planning analysis: The latest consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) signals a decisive move towards centralisation in planning...
Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) has announced that it will no longer process, redact and publish planning application plans and...
This week’s edition of Planning weekly highlights includes: analysis of Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025; a letter from Matthew...
HM Treasury has announced a £45bn Northern Growth Strategy centred on Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), the largest transport upgrade in the North of...
Planning analysis: In ArcelorMittal Kent Wire Ltd v Medway Council, the High Court rejected a judicial review challenge to Medway Council’s grant of...
Latest Planning Practice Notes
Nationally significant infrastructure projects—pre-application consultations and discussionsNationally significant infrastructure project consent...
Planning feesPlanning-related fees are charged so that developers, rather than taxpayers in general, meet the costs incurred by local planning...
Application procedure for nationally significant infrastructure projectsThe Planning Act 2008 (PA 2008) sets out a development consent regime for...
Determining planning applications—procedureLegislation and guidanceThe statutory requirements relating to the determination of planning applications...
Digital planning in EnglandThis Practice Note begins with a review of the existing law on data as it relates to the planning system: the digital...
Latest Planning Precedents
Property development agreementDate [date]Parties1[name of Owner] [of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [number]) whose...
Contract for sale—freehold vacant possession conditional on planningdate [date]Parties1[name of Seller] [of OR incorporated in England and Wales...
Wayleave agreement—previous Electronic Communications CodeSTOP PRESS: THE NEW ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS CODE CAME INTO FORCE ON 28 DECEMBER 2017. THIS...
Precedent compulsory purchase order indemnity agreementThis Agreement is made on [date]BETWEEN1[Council] whose principal place of business is...
Precedent s 278 agreementDeed dated[insert date]section 278 Highways Act 1980 relating to development at [insert text] between:Parties1[insert name]...
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
Article 4 Direction
A direction made by a local planning authority to withdraw permitted development rights that would otherwise apply by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015, SI 2015/596 (in England) and the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, SI 1995/418 (in Wales).
Development plan
Consists of the local plans and neighbourhood plans (taken as a whole) that have been adopted or approved in relation to an area, setting out the policies for the development of that area. Planning decisions must be made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
Registered Provider
Registered social landlord/housing association. The Regulator of Social Housing manages the statutory register of social housing providers (the register) which lists private (non-profit and profit-making) providers and local authority providers.
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