On Monday, the Prime Minster joined 65 world leaders at a UN event to commit to reversing nature loss. Mr Johnson pledged that new measures would protect at least 30 per cent of UK land for nature by 2030, up from 26 per cent. This is likely to include the creation of a new National Park or new Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), to award new protection to around 400,000 hectares of countryside.

The 1st September 2020 saw the introduction of new planning legislation which sees major changes to the system of use classes, particularly those that relate to town centre uses targeted at helping the Government achieve its policy objective to rejuvenate, and safeguard the viability and vitality of our High Streets.

The national and planning press has been awash with articles and comments on the new government Planning White Paper for consultation.
Less focus has been on a new range of permitted development rights introduced in July 2020, which may provide many opportunities for the many rural landowners which Rural Solutions advises on a day to day basis.

The “Planning for the Future” White Paper published earlier this month represents potentially the most significant change in the planning system for decades. Whilst previous changes have sought to shift the emphasis to a more enabling and less bureaucratic approach whilst maintaining the fundamental principles of Local Plans, the White Paper acknowledges that this has repeatedly failed. Half of local planning authorities are still without an up to date Local Plan, despite previous planning reforms which have directly sought to address this.