Research
The Planning and Development Act 2024 requires the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) to carry out planning research.
In 2019, the OPR set up the National Planning Knowledge Group (NPKG). This group includes people from local authorities, universities, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), planning bodies, government organisations and departments.
To shape its research work, the OPR spoke with many key stakeholders, including local authority staff and elected members. Their feedback, along with advice from the NPKG, helped the OPR develop its Planning Research Framework. The OPR’s Strategic Planning Research Programmes have been developed from the Planning Research Framework.
The aim of the Planning Research Framework is to create research programmes that:
- fill gaps in planning theory and practice,
- support good practice across the planning system,
- help the public understand and take part in planning, and
- develop useful tools and resources for planners and researchers
The Planning Research Programme 2026-2028 was published in April 2026, and is available here.
All research is organised under three main themes:
Please click on the icons below to access more information on each theme.
