Spring is finally making itself known; the sun is trying its best, and yesterday I even spotted someone pairing a woolly scarf with sandals, which feels like the perfect snapshot of this time of year.

It’s also been a busy period for MHCLG announcements, and here at PAS HQ, that means diving straight into gathering information and sharing what you need to know. This month’s newsletter is packed with updates, so settle in, replay any recorded sessions you may have missed, and make sure you’re booked onto the upcoming events.

We’ve also had a bit of a reshuffle within the PAS team. You can now find the right person for your query on our updated Who we are page.

Anna Rose

Head of PAS

We're hiring

We are recruiting new members of the PAS Team to help us deliver programmes for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Natural England. This is an exciting time to join the PAS Team as we’re busy helping councils up and down the country with many upcoming changes. If you are interested to join, please click on the links below:

• Principal consultants
• Principal consultant: planning
• Consultant: planning.

These are fixed-term until 31 March 2027. We have funding confirmed until 31 March 2029.

Another great Chief Planners Conference

The PAS Team hosted the annual Conference for Chief Planners on 26 - 27 February 2026 at City Hall, Leicester with more than 120 delegates in attendance. The conference was delivered in partnership with MHCLG.

The conference explored delivering change in a time of uncertainty; a theme that reflects the significant shifts underway in both the planning system and local government. The agenda included high-profile guest speakers, walking tours around the city, and a range of practical workshops.

Download: Agenda and material from the conference

Planning committee reforms: publication of draft regulations and webinars

The Government published the draft Regulations and accompanying guidance on Planning Committees and the National Scheme of Delegation of Planning Functions on 26 March 2026. They are subject to a four-week consultation.

PAS is hosting a webinar with colleagues from MHCLG which will provide an overview of the key changes and practical implications for local planning authorities. The webinar is exclusively for local authorities and aimed at monitoring officers, heads of planning, and planning committee members.

The same webinar will be repeated over two dates as follows and registration is via Eventbrite:

• Thursday 9 April 2026 from 2.00pm - 3.00pm
• Wednesday 15 April from 10.00am - 11.00am

PAS Spatial Development Strategy Readiness guide and toolkit

Take a look at the PAS SDS Readiness guide and toolkit which has now been published on our website. As well as the main guide, it includes information in the appendices and 10 tools to help you make a good start.

The main aim of the guide and toolkit is to support authorities with an SDS duty to put the right foundations in place to allow an effective and early start on their SDSs before publication of the Regulations. It should also be helpful for local planning authorities to get involved early in their SDS (also see PAS SDS Good practice tips for effective working between strategic and local planning authorities).

A big thanks to Paul Frainer (Olive Branch Consulting), Richard Wood (Richard Wood Associates) and Catriona Riddell (Catriona Riddell Consulting) for your work.

Event: Consultation on localised planning fees

The Government launched its consultation on fees for planning applications on 23 March 2026. This consultation seeks views on proposals to establish a new national default fee schedule, introduce new fees and restructure existing fee categories, implement a surcharge on planning fees for statutory consultees, establish the key principles behind local fee setting, and review the future role of discretionary services.

We will be hosting an event for local authority officers at 10.00am - 11.30am on 30 April 2026 to discuss the implications of the proposals and help local planning authorities to prepare their consultation responses. 

Book now: Planning application processing fees

Event: Local Plans new system webinar

Big news! The new plan-making system regs have arrived! The new Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026 came into force on 25 March 2026 and replaced the existing 2012 plan-making regulations.

PAS is working hard to plan a series of events to support these regulations going ‘live’, the first of which was an overview webinar held on Thursday 26 March. The session included a presentation from MHCLG and closed with a Q&A segment. Future events will include two in-person events, a succession of ‘deep-dives’ and a Member-focused webinar after Elections come to a close. Watch this space as we release further information on these sessions and confirm dates in the near future.

PAS has also taken the opportunity to produce a ‘Briefing Pack’ to assist you in briefing your Members on local plan-making; providing an overview of the ‘what’, ‘why’, and ‘how’s’ of local plans, the similarities and changes in the processes from the ‘legacy’ to the new system, and the importance of keeping on planning.

The ‘Briefing Pack’, along with any FAQs and responses we’ve gathered from our recent webinars, can all be found on our updated PAS website page New Plan-Making System: What We Know So Far.

Greenbelt/Greybelt training slides

PAS has worked with DAC Planning to prepare presentation slides to help councils better understand the issues they need to consider when dealing with planning applications for grey belt development. 

There are two presentations to download: one for member training and one for officer training. You are encouraged to use these presentations as a template and to modify them to use for your own council training: Green belt / grey belt decision-making.

Regional Design and Place networks

Our regional Design and Place networks have been running for a year now and we have over 70 per cent of LPAs and CAs engaged in their network. The network leads continue to deliver and facilitate some great sharing of learning between members through site visits, in person and online meetings and via the discission platforms. If your local or combined authority hasn't joined your network information can be found our Regional Place Networks and Advocates page.

Help shape the next wave of council housebuilding

PAS, working with the Council Housebuilding Support Service, is creating practical case studies with key insights on how councils are delivering their own social and affordable housing. We’re keen to hear from local planning authorities involved in bringing forward their own council housing; whether delivering at scale or making progress in more challenging circumstances. We'll be showcasing specific councils and sharing the key decisions, approaches and challenges that have shaped delivery in practice, including the role of planning, land, funding and partnerships. 

If you’d like to work with PAS and share your practical learning and insight across the sector please take part in our council-led housing delivery survey.

Using LPA-led design codes

MHCLG is seeking participants for a survey on experiences using LPA-led design codes. If your LPA has adopted or is close to adopting (for example, post-consultation) a design code and you would be interested in taking part, please fill in this MHCLG design codes survey volunteer registration form.

Digital: what actually works - replacing legacy back office systems

Legacy back-office systems are holding many planning departments back—slowing processes, frustrating staff, and limiting the ability to deliver efficient, modern services for our communities. Replacing them is no small task; for most councils, it feels like a mountain to climb. But it can be done.

If you are thinking of changing systems in the next one and a half to two years, come along to our workshop to see if we can help. If there is interest we can set up a cohort to help you through the process.

Hydrogen planning forum: seminar series

PAS is working with the Hydrogen Energy Association to host a free, five-part webinar series exploring the practical implications of hydrogen projects for local authorities. As proposals for hydrogen production, storage, transport and use come forward, the series will help planners build confidence in assessing applications and understanding key planning considerations. 

Each session will include input from industry, government and planning professionals, alongside opportunities for Q&A. The series is open to local authority planners and colleagues across the wider planning service. To read more and register your interest, please visit our upcoming events page.

Recording of our webinar introducing the Infrastructure Delivery Plans guidance

We held an online webinar in February 2026 to introduce our new guidance on preparing Infrastructure Delivery Plans. This guidance sits alongside our broader suite of resources on developer contributions and infrastructure planning, all designed to help councils more effectively plan for, fund and deliver the infrastructure needed to support development.

Watch a recording of the presentations.

Pathways to Planning – Cohort 4 (Round 2)

For local planning authorities, statutory consultees and councils hosting Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects not signed up to apply to hire a graduate planner or surveyor through the Pathways to Planning programme there is still a further opportunity to take part in our second round.

The programme selects high achieving candidates from a pool of thousands to create interview shortlists for employers at no cost. All graduates hired through the programme receive an educational bursary (of £10,000) to help fund their part-time study alongside work. 

Local authorities with high housing delivery and local plan needs will be considered for salary bursaries (of £40,000). If your council is facing hiring freezes may be able to access greater financial support.

The deadline to sign up to the second round of interviews is 22 May 2026.

Act now to secure this offer for your planning team.

Anna Rose in Conversation: Anna and Beccy Moberly talk planning for nature

In the last of this year's conversations with PAS consultants delivering each part of our programme, Anna and Beccy discuss planning for the natural environment, ranging from biodiversity net gain, Environmental Delivery Plans to Local Nature Recovery and Spatial Development Strategies. They talk about what's coming up and how PAS is supporting LPAs in this space.

Offer: In person support for Nature Recovery (Phase 2)

Amendment to February post correct EOI link

Following the delivery of six successful one-day workshops (watch this space for case studies) we can support some additional authorities from May 2026. Interested? 

Please complete the EOI - PAS Nature Recovery workshop for local authorities (Phase 2).

MHCLG's 2026 Planning Skills and Capacity survey is now live

The 2026 Planning Skills and Capacity Survey is now live on DELTA and will remain open until Wednesday 15 April 2026. Registered LPAs will have automatically received their survey link via the DELTA system. If you have not received a link, please contact LPA.SkillsSurvey@communities.gov.uk.

There are lots of surveys around; your participation in this one will shape future Government investment, support, and reform across the planning sector.