Related insights: Planning

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A lesson in local authority decision-making: Pratt v Exeter City Council

28 Feb 2024
The judgement against Exeter City Council (ECC) provides a useful reminder to Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) of their duties when granting planning permission. Notably, LPAs are reminded of their duty, known as the Tameside duty, to take reasonable steps to ensure that they have made sufficient enquiry before making a decision to grant planning permission. Further, it reminds LPAs of the importance of taking into account all material considerations, rather than just relying on the information presented by a developer in a planning application.
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Brand new 'Planning Unplugged' podcast episode reviews single family housing issues

22 Feb 2024
How does single family housing fit into the national plan for housing?

Our host and managing associate James Clark is joined by managing associate Kate Ashworth and partner in WBD's residential team Tom Willows to talk about how transactions are shaped for single family housing deals, how planning plays a key role in ensuring a smooth development process, and the fine balance between ensuring suitable land use and maintaining housing supply.
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Drop-in dropout: local authority decision to grant a 'drop in' application quashed

01 Feb 2024
Aysen Dennis, R (on the application of) v London Borough of Southwark

The recent High Court judgment has important implications for the interpretation of planning permissions and use of 'drop in' permissions following Hillside (learn more in our article here). It confirms that an outline, phased permission is not inherently severable.

Whether a permission is or is not severable, and can be amended by a later 'drop in' permission, will depend on whether this was intended when the permission was granted and the extent to which this is clear from the permission itself. Going forwards, if severability is intended, it must be designed into the scheme and made clear on the face of the permission and in the supporting documents.
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Latest episode of 'Planning Unplugged' podcast looks at Biodiversity Net Gain provisions for landowners

24 Jan 2024
What should landowners be expecting with the latest changes to biodiversity net gain regulations? Our host and managing associate Kate Ashworth is joined by managing associate James Clark and partner in WBD's agriculture team Andrew Farquharson to talk about what landowners should be looking for to take advantage of biodiversity net gain provisions and what basic management and responsibilities they should be tackling to maximise their land's potential.
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Fiske: the latest update

22 Dec 2023
The Court of Appeal has handed down judgement in the latest instalment in a series of legal challenges against various planning permissions for a solar farm site at East Wellow in Hampshire. The history of this site is complex but the judgements provide useful authority on the position regarding variation of planning conditions under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA) and incompatibility of overlapping planning permissions.
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New 'Planning Unplugged' podcast episode discusses Biodiversity Net Gain from a local authority perspective

20 Dec 2023
As new biodiversity net gain regulations look to take effect from 2024, what should local authorities be doing to prepare?

In the second episode of our 'Planning Unplugged' podcast series, our host and managing associate Kate Ashworth is joined by managing associates James Clark and Helen Robinson to talk about what steps authorities have to take to embrace the raft of changes, and how its not just the planning departments who need to keep an eye on the latest moves. 
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How might the next general election affect planning policy?

17 Nov 2023
Although the next general election could be held as late as January 2025, it is widely expected that it will be called earlier. Current opinion polls suggest that Labour may be the next government in power but as we know from recent elections the polls don't always give the full picture.

Whilst the parties have of course not yet published their election manifestos there have been some noteworthy announcements related to planning policy from the Labour party, particularly around the time of its party conference which was held 8-11 October 2023. It is these Labour party announcements which we take a closer look at below.

World's first vagina museum finds new home thanks to pro bono support from Womble Bond Dickinson

14 Nov 2023
International law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has provided pro bono services to help ensure the world's first museum dedicated to the vagina was able to find a new home.

London's Vagina Museum, which was forced to shut its doors in February after its property guardianship ended, has now reopened in a larger location on Bethnal Green's Poyser Street after WBD secured the lease to the new property.

A new home for New Look as Womble Bond Dickinson advises on head office move

03 Nov 2023
International law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has advised a leading fashion retailer in its move to a new London head office. The firm has supported long-standing client and British retailer New Look on its move into the custom fitted out third and fourth floors of the seven-storey office and GPE building, The Hickman, along Whitechapel Road in the nation's capital.