The first SDF meeting of the year set the stage for what’s shaping up to be a transformative year in planning. A big focus for 2025 will be the government’s push for economic growth, with local government reorganisation expected to drive efficiency—but not without challenges. Delivering higher housing numbers remains a major hurdle, particularly with delays in strategic plans and the potential impact on councils in protected areas like Surrey’s AONB. Changes to planning policy are coming thick and fast, with the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, updates to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), and new zoning proposals all on the horizon.
Strategic planning was a key theme, with discussions around how Spatial Development Strategies (SDS) will play a bigger role in allocating housing numbers, streamlining local plans, and boosting investor confidence. Meanwhile, there’s growing concern over resourcing in planning departments, the stagnation of land prices, and the retreat of Registered Providers (RPs) from the housing market—factors that could slow down development despite policy changes.
The meeting also raised important questions about what these reforms will mean in practice. How far will the government go with zoning around transport hubs and will relax planning rules apply to all train stations? Will Green Belt reviews get the serious attention they need, or will they continue to stall without strong leadership from central government? With planning fees rising, will councils be able to use the extra revenue to ensure properly resourced planning teams, or will departments remain stretched? And how will Labour’s emerging planning policies fit into all this—especially in the context of affordable housing and strategic growth? To sum up the meeting in one sentence, planning is moving fast, and while there’s real opportunity, there’s also uncertainty.
