Explainer: The planning system in 2024

Planning is one of the most important duties of any councillor – the process of making decisions about the future of our communities and meeting the economic and housing needs of local areas while ensuring both the environment and residents are not negatively impacted.

Yet many new councillors come into office knowing very little about what exactly is involved.

This briefing, aimed at newly elected members, sets out the planning process, common terms and phrases and details current issues within the planning system.

It also sets out recent and planned changes to the planning process, including major changes set out in the 2023 Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.