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: a government consultation on changes to permitted development rights in England, a DESNZ...
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has launched a consultation on proposed changes to permitted development rights in...
Planning analysis: The government has published a consultation proposing to make changes to existing permitted development (PD) rights in England...
On 9 June 2026, Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) published guidance called 'Using AI in submissions to PEDW', which sets out how...
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published updated guidance on cost recovery under the Infrastructure Planning...
Latest Planning Practice Notes
UNESCO supports the Ramsar convention on the conservation and use of wetlands. UNESCO estimates that more than 64% of the world’s wetlands have...
As a result of the 23 June 2016 UK referendum on membership of the EU, which voted with a 52% majority voting in favour of the UK leaving the EU,...
Originally produced in partnership with Landmark ChambersThe reason for special costs protection measures in environmental lawThe special costs...
What is solar energy generation?Solar energy generation involves the conversion of sunlight into electricity through the use of solar panels, which...
Conditions requiring further approval of detailsPlanning conditions may be imposed on the grant of planning permission. This can include conditions...
Latest Planning Precedents
[Insert name of public authority][Insert public authority's address, including postcode][Insert public authority’s email address or email address of...
STOP PRESS: THE NEW ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS CODE CAME INTO FORCE ON 28 DECEMBER 2017. THIS PRECEDENT IS DRAFTED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PREVIOUS CODE...
Date [date]Parties1[name of Owner] [of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [number]) whose registered office is at]...
DATE [date]Parties1[name of Authority] of [address] (Authority)2[name of Licensee] [of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration...
date [date]Parties1[name of Seller] [of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [number]) whose registered office is at]...
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
Certificate of lawful development
A certificate issued by a local planning authority certifying that an existing or proposed use of buildings or land, or existing or proposed operational development, or any other matter constituting a breach of a planning permission, is or would be lawful.
IPMS2
International Property Measurement Standard 2. Used for measuring the interior boundary area of a Building. It is similar to Gross Internal Area.
Permission in principle
A type of automatic planning consent for housing-led development allocated in an adopted local plan or neighbourhood plan, or included in a local brownfield register. The result of permission in principle, together with a grant of technical details consent, is a grant of full planning permission.
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