The Town and Country Planning ( Discharge of LPA Functions ) ( England ) Regulations 2026, S.I. 2026/854, come into force on 31 October 2026. They require LPAs to make arrangements for PLANNING APPLICATIONS specified in the Schedules to the Regulations to be discharged by Committees ( including Sub-Committees ) or by Officers, and to change their current arrangements if they do not accord with the Regulations.
DEFRA GUIDANCE, published on 29 September 2026, outlines the LOCAL AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK local authorities must follow, to protect against AIR POLLUTION.
MHCLG has on 24 September 2026 published GUIDANCE setting out information for two-tier authorities in England about transitioning their PLAN MAKING to single tier unitary authorities.
An EU Consultation published on 15 September 2026 seeks feedback on its adopted Regulation to modernise and simplify the EU rules on public contracts.
A House of Commons Environment etc Committee Consultation on 16 September 2026 seeks views on flooding emergency responses.
A House of Commons Environment etc Committee Consultation on 16 September 2026 seeks views on flooding emergency responses.
A House of Commons Library Briefing published on 14 September 2026 discusses Planning Policy for Green Belts and reforms under the NPPF.
DEFRA has on Bastille Day 2026 published BIODIVERSITY GAINS REGULATIONS, S.I. 2026/790. Laid before Parliament on 13 July 2026, and coming into force on 6 August 2026, amending MANDATORY BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR PROJECTS REQUIRING PLANNING PERMISSION, including an EXEMPTION for smallest developments.
A Climate Change Committee Report, published on 8 July 2026, provides advice on what the Seventh Carbon Budget means at local level. It highlights action that local authorities can take in order to support the delivery of the 2050 NET ZERO TARGET.
The EIR impose a duty to make available environmental information that a public authority “ holds 2. In INFORMATION COMMISSIONER v O’HANLON (2026) EWCA Civ 838 the Court of Appeal holds that the date for determining what information is held is when the authority receives the request for information.