Annie and Jenn wrap up our chat about the season 8 Vince Gilligan penned "Roadrunners."

In this Deep Dive edition, we will be previewing the local and mayoral elections taking place later this week. We will be discussing: Where they are happening. What the results are expected to show at a national level. What this is likely to mean for planning and development at a local level. We will also highlight the key battlegrounds that are li…

This week, we will be: Revealing the councils with the most grey belt land in England. Discussing the latest developments around how councils are reacting to the new grey belt national policy. In addition, we will examine: How two local authorities have avoided the housing delivery test’s most severe penalty after persuading central government to ‘…

Annie and Jenn tackle a season 8 MotW for the very first time-- Vince Gilligan's "Roadrunners!"

This is the second edition of our new monthly series examining the key appeal and court decisions from the past four weeks. As before, we speak to technical editor David Dewar, who compiles the long-running Casebook section of Planning. This week, we will be discussing: Two notable appeal decisions, one of which centres on the flood risk sequential…

In this Deep Dive edition, we will be examining: Why a Court of Appeal ruling means that planners will need to pay greater attention to changes to national Planning Practice Guidance. Why councils are refunding householders hit by massive community infrastructure levy bills. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behi…

It's more Skinman as Annie and Jenn wrap up our conversation about the revival episode, "Kitten"

This week, we will be examining: The chancellor’s spring statement, in which she announced the independent fiscal watchdog’s forecasted impact of the government's revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on housing delivery and economic growth. The second reading of the government’s flagship Planning and Infrastructure Bill. A key…

Praise Kier! Join Annie and Jenn for a bonus episode as we talk about AppleTV's "Severance," including last weeks' season finale. *SPOILERS AHEAD!*

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be examining how and why a Cambridgeshire council's planning department implemented a four-day working week and the impact on its performance. We’ll also be rounding up the key planning news from the past week to make sure you’re up to speed on all the goings-on in the sector. Key planning news, and why it’s importa…

This week, we are launching the first of a new monthly series examining the key appeal and court decisions from the past four weeks. Joining me is our technical editor David Dewar who compiles our long-running Casebook section of Planning's weekly bulletin and formerly the magazine, which highlights the key appeal and legal decisions from that week…

Annie and Jenn continue in our revival series with much Skinner discussion as we chat about 11.6, "Kitten!"

This week, we will be examining the government’s publication of its flagship Planning and Infrastructure Bill, focusing on the following measures: Allowing councils to set their own planning application fees up to the level of cost recovery. Changing decision-making by planning committees. Introducing formal strategic planning arrangements. Setting…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be examining: Why many developers are predicting that planning application volumes – particularly for new homes – will rise sharply this year following the Labour government’s wide-ranging changes to the planning system. Whether the planning system will be able to cope in the event of a hike in application numbers. …

Celebrate 150 episodes with Annie & Jenn! From sexy black turtlenecks to bad tea-dunking prosthetics to Jenn's unexpected obsession with "Nothing Lasts Forever," come join us as we take a trip down the XFD memory lane!

This week, we will be focusing on new planning guidance that’s been published by the housing ministry. We will be discussing: The long-awaited new guidance on how new national planning policy on green belt should be applied. Other new guidance on development on brownfield land, transitional arrangements for joint local plans, and how planners shoul…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing the government’s plans to accelerate the involvement of statutory consultees, such as government agencies, in the planning process. We’ll examine why: There are concerns about the role of such bodies in planning. How justified these concerns are. How the government is likely to respond to the issue. We…

Annie and Jenn wrap up our discussion of the Vince Gilligan written/ directed episode, "Je Souhaite"

This week, we will be focusing on a series of planning announcements made last week by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and housing secretary Angela Rayner. We'll be discussing: Where the proposals for new towns submitted to the government's task force have come from, what requirements they will have to meet, and what happens next. What type of hous…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing whether, in the wake of claims about corruption in planning that have been widely rejected by the sector, the planning system is more compromised by developer influence than practitioners think. In particular, we'll be examining: How common are cases of criminal corruption in planning? Why is there a p…

Annie and Jenn tackle another Vince Gilligan penned episode, "Je Souhaite!"

This week, we will be discussing a series of planning announcements made by chancellor Rachel Reeves in an effort to boost economic growth. We're going to focus on: Her promise of a review of the statutory consultee system to “slash planning system red tape”. Her announcement of changes to the environmental assessment regime. The prime minister's p…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing: The new National Planning Policy Framework’s (NPPF) introduction of ‘golden rules’ that apply to developer contributions for development on green belt land, and how the government has softened the rules in the final version compared to the draft. The devolution white paper’s proposals for groups of co…

Annie and Jenn conclude their interview with Darin Morgan... we talk of dogs, Jesse Ventura, Trump and much more!

In this episode, we discuss: What the secretary of state for housing, Angela Rayner, said about planning when she appeared before MPs on the housing, communities and local government select committee. A developer winning an appeal against the demolition of its 200-home tower block scheme following a high-profile enforcement case launched by the loc…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing our latest annual Planning Consultancy Market Report, which takes an in-depth and exclusive look at the planning consultancy market. We'll be examining: The firms with the biggest and fastest-growing planning consultancy teams. The companies with the highest planning fee income and fee rates. And consu…

Happy New Year, Philes! Annie and Jenn got to sit down with X-Files writer Darin Morgan for a supersized (two part) interview. You won't want to miss this one!

In this episode, we discuss: The publication of the government’s long-awaited devolution white paper, and the far-reaching planning changes proposed in it. A planning inspector cancelling a council’s local plan examination hearings after just one session due to “significant” soundness and legal concerns. The latest housing delivery test results – w…

Annie and Jenn are taking a short break for the holidays... we will be back in 2025 with brand new episodes! Happy Holidays!

In this episode, we discuss the publication of the final version of the new Labour government’s revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). In particular, we're going to focus on the changes to national policy on local housing need, housing land supply, and green belt, and the transitional arrangements for local plan-making. We'll also be ro…

Annie & Jenn wrap up their discussion of "The Sixth Extinction, part 1."

In this episode, we discuss: The housing secretary this week announcing radical changes to planning committee decision-making; The prime minister making the government’s national housing target and a promise to speed up major infrastructure consents one of its six parliamentary milestones in its Plan for Change; The government cutting its local aut…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing a Planning report on the impact of growing local authority mergers on planning teams and asking why they are happening and what the benefits and challenges are. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence…

Continuing our Mythology Series, Annie and Jenn unpack the Season 7 opener "The Sixth Extinction." Part 1 of 2.

In this episode, we discuss: Why the Office for Place was axed, and what it means for design quality; What the planning minister revealed when he appeared before the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee; Councils that are taking successful action against developers to uphold planning gain contributions. Key planning news, and why it’…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing a Planning report into England’s 30 busiest local planning authorities, including: which councils are listed in the study; their application workload and fee income; their staffing levels; their appeal success rate; and their enforcement activity. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to y…

David and Gillian had a little chat. So Annie and Jenn had to have a little chat about their little chat. We break down their concersation on David's "Fail Better" podcast.

In this issue, we will be discussing the following stories and asking whether they show a toughening of the government’s line against local authorities that it believes to be resisting development: Housing secretary Angela Rayner calling in plans for an 8,400-home garden village in Kent just three hours before the council was due to consider it; An…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing a Planning investigation into how the new biodiversity net gain policy is bedding in six months after it was introduced, and highlighting a series of findings from our exclusive reader survey. We’ll also be rounding up the key planning news from last week’s budget. Key planning news, and why it’s impor…

Annie and Jenn sit down with Kristen Cloke Morgan to chat about her experience on The X-Files, both in acting ("The Field Where I Died") and writing ("Followers")

This week, we discuss: Research by housebuilders on how much unspent developer contribution cash councils are holding onto in their reserves; Further local plans falling victim to the new hardline approach from planning inspectors on the duration of plan examinations: Two unusual planning enforcement cases. We also round up the other key news from …

In this Deep Dive edition, we'll be discussing: How draft National Planning Policy Framework revisions would allow more green belt applications to avoid going through the tough “very special circumstances” decision-making test; Why ministerial efforts to speed up local plan examinations is likely to see more plans fail in the short term but should …

This week, Annie and Jenn conclude our discussion about "Hungry" with our friend CathyG, resident X-Files expert!

This week, we discuss: Why planning consultants and lawyers are alarmed about new requirements for the early submission of planning obligation agreements as part of written representation appeals; Three more councils announcing delays to their local plans in response to the government’s proposed national planning policy changes; A council in Oxford…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be discussing: Why so many local authorities are spending money on agency staff to work in their planning teams, what problems this causes, and how councils can make best use of them; The planning highlights from last week’s Conservative Party Conference. We also round up the other key news from the past week to mak…

This week, Annie and Jenn discuss the Vince Gilligan episode "Hungry" with our friend CathyG, resident X-Files expert!

In this edition, we examine: The key news from last week’s Labour Party conference in Liverpool, including a possible delay to the publication of the final version of the new National Planning Policy Framework; The government’s publication of new details on its proposal for “brownfield passports” to speed up development on previously used land; The…

In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be examining two big proposed changes in the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF): What revisions to national policy on affordable housing would mean for planners, and how effective they would be in boosting the delivery of homes for social rent; The implications of the government’s intention to make urba…

Annie and Jenn sit down and have a chat with writer James Wong, particularly about his return to the X-Files in the revival: "Ghouli," and that final scene in "Nothing Lasts Forever!"

This week, we discuss: The High Court quashing the secretary of state’s controversial permission for a new coal mine in Cumbria; Planning inspectors recommending that a council withdraws its local plan due to its “unwillingness” to release green belt sites to meet housing need; Voters in a town overwhelmingly rejected a neighbourhood plan in a refe…