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
This week’s edition of Planning weekly highlights includes: permitted development changes to facilitate electric vehicle charging and extend temporary...
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published a letter from the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew...
Energy analysis: On 29 September 2026, the UK government announced the creation of 'Great British Grid' (GB Grid), a new publicly owned body within...
Real Estate:UK (RE:UK) has published its response to the government’s consultation on strengthening mayoral planning powers in England. It supports...
Amber Valley Borough Council has issued a pre-action letter to the government as the first formal step towards a potential legal challenge to the...
Latest Planning Practice Notes
This Practice Note considers the implications of the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) being within the...
The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA 2022) contains extensive provisions and paves the way for significant changes to the law on building safety. For...
When responding to a request for information, the first step will often be to determine whether the information requested is environmental...
The Environmental Information Regulations 2004, SI 2004/3391, as variously amended, (EIR 2004) pose a risk to businesses through exposure of sensitive...
The Environmental Information Regulations 2004, SI 2004/3391 (EIR 2004) give rights of public access to environmental information held by public...
Latest Planning Precedents
This Agreement is made on [insert date] of [insert month] [insert year]BETWEEN1[insert name], of [insert address] (‘Council’);2[insert name], of...
date [date]Parties1[name of Seller] [of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [number]) whose registered office is at]...
Date [date]Parties1[name of Owner] [of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [number]) whose registered office is at]...
1DefinitionsBiodiversity Gain•the biodiversity gain objective described in Schedule 7A of TCPA 1990, and any analogous requirement relating to...
This is the first draft of a precedent conservation covenant agreement, to be made under section 117 of the Environment Act 2021 (EA 2021). It is...
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).
National Policy Statement
Statutory documents published under the Planning Act 2008 setting out national policy on particular types of nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs). NPSs establish the need case for a specific type of development and provide the framework within which the Secretary of State makes decisions on NSIP applications for development consent.
Public right of way
Highways that allow the public a legal right of passage, including footpaths, bridleways, Byways Open to All Traffic and restricted byways. PROW have the same legal status and protection as highways and remain in existence until legally closed, diverted or extinguished. It is a criminal offence to obstruct a PROW.
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