On the 20th May updates were made to the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). The headline change being the change to scheme of 10 units or less and which have a combined floor space of no more than 1000sqm are not required to make a contribution towards affordable housing – see are article from the 20th May for more detail: https://www.clplanning.co.uk/?p=280
Further changes to the PPG which were introduced on Friday 20th included updates on the duty to cooperate in relation to Local Enterprise Partnerships and Local Nature Partnerships.
A new paragraph was added to the PPG, in relation to Optional Technical Standards for Housing, which clarified that Local Authorities should accept evidence from either a Building Control body or another Planning Authority that the plans, where they have already been assessed, meet the requirements of the nationally described space standard.
The PPG confirmed that following the introduction of mandatory Building Regulations covering the physical security of new dwellings (in October 2015) Local Planning Authorities should no longer seek to impose additional requirements through plan policies relating to the security of individual dwellings.
The PPG update also confirmed the arrangements to be followed if an Inspector, in relation to a Local Plan hearing, has significant concerns about the soundness of a submitted plan. The role of the examination in the Local Plan process was also updated.
Arrangements for when Local Planning Authorities should consult with the Forestry Commission were updated and how neighbourhood plans are updated and modified were also included in the update.