Local Plan Watch Spring 2025

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There has been a radical shift in the scale of the opportunities available since our last Local Plan Watch, thanks to reforms to the planning system that are delivering instant results.

Planning is at the forefront the Government’s growth agenda. It’s no secret that the new NPPF has resulted in housing delivery targets increasing by circa 20% across the country and new prospects in the Green Belt that had been off-limits for generations.

Local Planning Authorities are now responding. Many are moving forward with new plans that offer the best prospect of delivering the required growth in a way that responds to local aspirations and concerns. Most are also taking a pragmatic approach to the promotion of immediate development proposals, to help keep pace with local targets.

The opportunities and challenges vary across our core markets, so please take a deep dive into our intelligence to help focus your mind on the issues before giving our specialist local teams a call to discuss further.

Contributors:

Mike Derbyshire

Partner, Head of Planning

Related Insight

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The 2025 land and development market is seeing a surge in strategic activity following NPPF reforms, but challenges remain, from planning system delays to economic uncertainty and cautious buyer demand. Explore our latest insights to understand where opportunities lie.

Read the update here

Get in touch with the team

Mike Derbyshire

Partner, Head of Planning

Mike leads Bidwells’ planning practice. He is a passionate and vastly experienced advocate for thoughtful, well-designed development and a thought leader on the future of planning in England.

Chris Pattison

Deputy Head of Planning

Chris has been delivering challenging client briefs across the UK for more than 20 years.

Sam Metson

Partner, Planning

Sam delivers practical solutions to his clients, balancing competing demands between the need for development and its impact upon the environment.

Guy Kaddish

Partner, Planning

Guy is head of one of the largest planning teams in Cambridge, and planning representative in our science and technology leaders group.

Mike Jones

Partner, Planning

Mike is a Chartered Town Planner with 19+ years’ experience and knowledge across an array of sectors.

Iain Hill

Partner, Planning

Iain is a planning expert who uses his extensive master planning experience to contribute to the creation of award-winning developments.

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