A new legal bulletin was published by the Office of the Planning Regulator today 15th September 2023.
Through detailed summaries, analysis and key takeaways for practitioners and all stakeholders, the bulletin is intended as a new resource for the sector. It is hoped it will serve as a valuable tool to share key learnings from the continually evolving planning and environmental case law. It provides valuable information on important precedents, court decisions and emerging trends and a concise overview of noteworthy planning cases.
Along with wider engagement with the sector, the initiation and development of this bulletin draws on the views expressed during the consultation process for the Local Authority Planning Sector Learning and Development Strategy, published in January 2023. As part of the consultation process for the strategy, a survey of 1,550 local authority planning personnel was undertaken, with a response rate of over 50%. An important conclusion from the survey noted that:
“ …most respondents pointed to the need for an ongoing general or foundation-level training and awareness programmes to keep staff and members updated in real-time on the fast-paced nature of legislative and policy development, landmark legal cases, and technological and operational advances relevant to the planning function.”
The bulletin will be published on the OPR’s website on a quarterly basis.
