Planning Law Bulletin – June 2020

June 11, 2020

In the June 2020 edition of the planning law bulletin:

Supreme Court Refuses Permission to Appeal
in Finney v Welsh Ministers.

Out of a Clear Blue Sky
The Government has announced the outcome of a short consultation carried out in March on proposals to amend the Civil Aviation (Aerial Advertising) Regulations 1995 to permit ‘skytyping’ and ‘skywriting’.

A66 Preferred Route Announcement 
Whilst not quite as iconic as America’s Route 66, the A66 Trunk Road is nonetheless an important strategic route linking the A1(M) at Scotch Corner with the M6 at Penrith (passing Barnard Castle along the way).

Planning Inspectorate’s First Virtual Hearing & Plans for More
The decision has been issued following the first virtual planning hearing in England and the Planning Inspectorate has announced plans for ‘virtual events’ to become standard in most cases, at least for the duration of the current Covid-19 crisis.

Secretary of State Admits ‘Apparent Bias’
The Secretary of State has submitted to judgment in a challenge brought by the local planning authority to his decision to allow a planning appeal for a large housing development in London, accepting that the decision displayed apparent bias in favour of the developer.

Making a Material Change of Use
The decision has been issued in a redetermined lawful development certificate appeal concerning development carried out under Class O of the General Permitted Development Order – the ‘office to residential’ class – in which the key issue was when the change of use occurred.

The ‘Great Recovery Bill’
As the lockdown begins to ease, there are indications that the Government is working on a series of measures designed to hasten economic recovery and plans to introduce ‘a Great Recovery Bill’ to Parliament before the summer recess.

Click here to view the June 2020 Planning Law Bulletin.

Peter Dixon is a Chartered Surveyor who transferred to the Bar in 2013 after more than 25 years’ in practice in planning and development. He is head of the planning department at Exchange Chambers.