May - it's a month of elections, conferences, and, if you're at PAS, grant funding agreements and programme kick-off. We have recruited, moved everyone into their new work areas, and started promoting our new support offerings. We are also putting together our training content for councillors throughout the year, recognising that, for first-timers, planning is complicated, fast-changing, and rarely what you imagined before you got inside the council. More on the PAS new starters in June. Keep in touch at pas@local.gov.uk or join one of our many networks via our website, where you can work through issues with your peers.

Anna Rose – Head of the Planning Advisory Service

Planning Value: Investment, innovation and improvement cohort 2026, Residential course for service leaders

At PAS we sometimes run small cohorts for senior people in councils. It's an opportunity to join a small group of your peers exploring some big, important questions in a relaxed environment. We're excited; it's hard work but one of our favourite things to do.

The format is a two day residential session, run twice. On the agenda are three of the biggest questions:

• How much does your service cost?
• How ready are you and your team for AI, digital services and the innovation and change that is coming our way?
• What does your service do for your place?

If this sounds like what you need, see more detail on our events page

Local plan new system - in-person events (save the date)

We have been busy organising some in-person events with MHCLG on the Local Plan new system. We know many of you will be working at speed within the new system, so we are keen to get these in place as soon as possible.

We will be running three events in June:

• Friday 5 June at LGA Offices, Smith Square, London
• Friday 12 June in Manchester, Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester
• Thursday 18 June in Birmingham, Quaker Meeting House, 40 Bull St, Birmingham

Keeping pace with NSIP reform

Activity is increasing across PAS NSIPs work, with updated webpages (including a refreshed landing page, new BNG for NSIPs content, and guidance on National Policy Statements) and an improved Basecamp network supporting peer discussion on DCO topics, energy, transport, data centres, PPAs and cost recovery. 

Key legislative updates include:

• mandatory cost recovery for local authorities - in force 8 June 2026
• Environment Act 2021 commencement introducing BNG requirements for NSIPs. 

Further reforms are expected via the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, making it a good time to join the local government network for updates and peer support.

DESNZ Post-Consent Unit for Network & Nuclear DCOs

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is establishing a new unit to discharge post-consent requirements for network and nuclear DCOs. This was announced as part of the Government’s response to the recommendations from the Nuclear Taskforce (Fingleton) Review, published on 24 November 2025. DESNZ is currently reaching out to LPAs to invite participants to join a research and development working group.

Participants should be planning officers at LPAs who have recently discharged post-consent requirements for energy DCOs or have other relevant experience in respect of post-consent requirements under the 2008 Planning Act. For more information, please see the Network Board, or contact postconsentunit@energysecurity.gov.uk

PAS 2026 Planning Introduction - an update for LPA councillors

We are hosting two planning updates sessions for councillors on 19 and 22 June. These online sessions open to any English local authority councillors will introduce the English planning process, the role of councillors in the planning process and recent planning reforms. Book your place:

• 19 June 2026, 10.00am-11.30am
• 22 June 2026, 1.30pm-3.00pm

Planning committee reforms: In-person events, Manchester and London

Join us in Manchester and London for an opportunity discuss the practical implementation of the 2026 Planning Committee Reforms. The in-person workshops for local authority planning and legal officers will be an opportunity to discuss LPAs requirements in line with the national planning committee reforms. There will be opportunities to comment on materials and templates that PAS are producing for LPAs to use as well as discuss actions and materials from other local authorities.

• 25 June 2026, Manchester
• 3 July 2026, London

Programme officer – 'In Conversation with Anna Rose' - May 2026

A new 'In Conversation with Anna Rose' webinar on the Programme Officer (PO) role is now available, outlining its importance in supporting local plan examinations, particularly ahead of expected high demand in 2026–2027.

Nature recovery toolkit for local authorities – Launch event

The updated toolkit has been strengthened and refined through a series of pilot case studies with six councils, capturing practical learning, real world challenges and what works on the ground. It’s designed to support local authorities to:

• embed nature recovery across policy and practice
• align with statutory duties and local priorities
• turn ambition into deliverable action.

Join us on-line at the launch event on 1 June at 1.00pm-2.00pm to:

• hear directly about what’s new in the toolkit
• learn from councils who took part in the pilot case studies

Explore how the Nature Recovery Toolkit can support your authority’s nature recovery work and register for the launch event

Leadership essentials committee: Committee chairs and policy leads

We are really pleased to be delivering our legendary LGA Leadership Essentials councillor training sessions again this year. We are hosting two specific sessions for committee chairs and for local plan leaders/portfolio holders preparing local plans on 10 and 11 October and 19 and 20 January at Warwick University. 

There have been lots of change around plan making and planning committee processes recently, and these two day courses will focus on changes in the planning process and the specific skills of these key roles. There is a cost to access the session we are heavily subsidising it. To find out more visit our website or to book a place, please contact: grace.collins@local.gov.uk. There are only limited places so book your place as soon as possible.

What's next for BNG? Event recording and slides

On Wednesday 6 May 2026, we were joined by colleagues from MHCLG and DEFRA for a webinar looking at forthcoming changes to the statutory Biodiversity Net Gain approach, including BNG for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). Recordings and slides from the session are available on our website

Good Practice in BNG Implementation

A suite of guides have been prepared for PAS by Urban Design Learning that collate good practice across the following key areas of implementing BNG:

• Local plans, local policy and advice notes
• Faster decision making with BNG
• Monitoring and enforcement
• Making the most of scarce ecological expertise
• LPAs and planning applicants working together

Good practice advice and guidance for protected sites

As part of our Natural England Protected Site Strategies project, Lepus Consulting have prepared a Good practice advice and guidance for protected sites guide for PAS covering a range of approaches and strategies that have emerged through the plan-making process and development management to address impacts at protected sites and ensure compliance with environmental legislation and planning policy.