Thankfully February was a quieter month for policy updates, with more impacts of the grey belt reaching decision making and more updates for planning reforms due in March we have been able to take stock and plan towards new projects.
Planning updates:
We were provided with further updates on the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) accompanying the NPPF (2024), particularly providing further clarity around the green belt and grey belt rules.
The Court of Appeal's ruling in Mead Realisations Ltd v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government [2025] EWCA Civ 32 has serious implications for planners. The case clarified that the PPG and NPPF hold the same weight for material consideration, and all planners should make sure to read the PPG.
Interim updates for Labour’s New Towns, as the government shorten the potential locations from a list of 100 possibilities.
More consents for development in the grey belt, with a particular focus on data farms and storage facilities.
WEA wins:
Approved planning permission for a sustainable Baufritz house in LB Barnet. The permission for demolition and rebuilding of an existing bungalow would provide an energy efficient and high-quality dwelling for the borough. Baufritz designs use Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to create pre-fabricated designs which can be erected onsite in less than a week.
Successful objection in LB Richmond upon Thames. We were instructed to object to an infill development within the Barnes Common Conservation Area and setting of a listed building. The officer’s report outlining the reasons for refusal is available on LBRuT’s portal.
Other things we have enjoyed this month:
RIBA Difficult Sites: Architecture Against the Odds exhibition, at 66 Portland Place running until 31 May 2025. The exhibition examines projects which used innovative architecture and planning strategies to build or retrofit challenging sites around the country, responding to issues ranging from heritage, infill, flooding and change of use. The exhibition highlighted projects which thought outside of the box to unlock complex sites.