Resources (Planning - Housing and Planning)

Here we highlight useful planning resources for those working directly in planning or other related disciplines.

Planning Portal

The Planning Portal is the first port of call for anyone wanting to find out about the planning system in England and Wales. Our aim is to provide a one-stop-shop supplying answers, services and information to anyone involved in the planning process - from home owners and businesses to planning professionals and Government officials. As the planning system evolves and modernises, the Portal will be there to guide all users through the process. The Planning Portal is delivered by Department for Communities and Local Government.

www.planningportal.gov.uk

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a new levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new developments in their area. The money can be used to support development by funding infrastructure that the council, local community and neighbourhoods want. The levy will help pay for the infrastructure required to support new development. This includes development that does not require planning permission. The levy should not be used to remedy pre-existing deficiencies unless the new development makes the deficiency more severe.

www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planningsystem/communityinfrastructurelevy/

Section 106 / Town and Planning Act

Section 106 agreements, is a Section 106 of the Town and Planning act, which allows a local planning authority to enter into a legally binding building agreement with a landowner in association with granting of planning permission. The agreement is a method of delivering or addressing matters necessary to making a development acceptable in planning terms.

www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/planningpolicyandlegislation/currentenglishpolicy/goodpracticeguides/modelplanning

The Carbon Plan

The Carbon Plan, first published in March 2011, is a Government-wide plan of action on climate change, including domestic and international activity. It sets out department by department, actions and deadlines for the next five years.

The plan presents ongoing and planned cross-Government action on climate change with specific deadlines providing for both internal accountability and public transparency. Via the link below you be taken to The Carbon Plan document on the Department of Energy & Climate Change website.

www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/carbon_plan/lctp/lctp.aspx

Land Supply / NLUD

Access to a supply of development land is a vital ingredient in successful economic growth, as it helps step up the pace of new development. So a key role for the HCA is to work with government and other public bodies to unlock and accelerate the release of surplus public land for the creation of new homes and employment opportunities. In addition, we are continuing to work with local partners to develop strategies to bring back in to productive use tracts of brownfield land, many of which are not publicly owned.
Recent government reforms to the planning system have created a new climate in favour of development and growth, with an expectation that proposals should, wherever possible be given the go ahead, as long as they meet the sustainable development principles set out in the Government's National Planning Policy Framework.

Creating a supply line of sites is crucial and so we’re using our experience of managing large-scale development to create approaches and tools that speed up the rate at which our own land can be released to developers. And as part of a strategy to put local people at the heart of the decision making process, we’re also working to support community-led schemes on public land.

The HCA is also trying to create greater transparency and accessibility to public land and property information for local people and partners. The HCA publishes data on our own significant portfolio of land and property assets that provide development opportunities and we are a source of information on the availability of surplus public land nationally. Through the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land we maintain a single reference point for public agencies on available sites. We also manage the National Land Use Database that contains information on previously developed land and building in England that may be available for development.

www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/ourwork/land-supply

Register of Surplus Public Sector Land

www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/ourwork/register-surplus-public-sector-land

ATLAS

The Advisory Team for Large Applications (ATLAS) provides an independent and impartial advisory service to Local Planning Authorities and their partners in relation to the delivery of large scale housing and mixed use development projects.

ATLAS was set up in 2004 as a pilot scheme by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) to provide an independent advisory service available at the request of Local Authorities to support them in dealing with complex large scale housing led projects. The team is now sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and hosted and delivered through the Homes & Communities Agency, providing a key role in the enabling services offered by the Agency.

www.atlasplanning.com/page/about_atlas.cfm

Planning Data

> Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) tables of planning statistics.