Conference Agenda

The agenda for the day will look at the key issues in Residential Planning

8.30am Pre Conference Networking Session
  • Delegates can arrive from 8:30am when an informal breakfast is provided, and a chance to network with other attendees, before the conference starts at 9:30am
9.30am Morning Conference Session
  • Chairman’s Welcome – Residential Planning in 2023, the arrival of the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill and what has really changed.
  • The Government Perspective on a new Direction of the Planning System
  • How might things change under the new ministerial team and prime minister?
  • How does the Government see the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill improving the planning system and what is the overall timeframe for the proposed measures?
  • What is new in Planning for Residential Development & where are the fundamental changes?
  • What is the timeframe for the new infrastructure levy?
  • What will the National Development Management Policies be?
  • What is the goal for digitalisation of planning?
  • What does ‘Levelling Up’ mean for planning & housing delivery?
  • What will change and how does the practitioner view these changes?
  • With Climate Change moving to the top of the political agenda, how are sustainability and environmental targets affecting Residential Development Planning?
  • How is the planning system approaching embodied carbon, energy consumption and sustainability for new developments?
  • What is the impact of the Environmental Act 2021 on Planning?
  • How do we prepare for Biodiversity Net Gain and what will the requirements be? How do we plan strategically for future compliance?
  • Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) – how are these affecting new build developments and what are the requirements?
  • How have Nutrient Neutrality and Water Neutrality been affecting Residential Development across the UK and what can developers do?
  • What is the role of Natural England and their calculations and how can the issue be addressed to unlock much needed housing development?
  • How can Local Authorities have a modern professional approach to the Planning System that delivers Housing and economic growth to an area
  • Where do Local Authorities stand on changes to the planning system proposed in the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill?
  • Local Plans & National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) – what is the local authority view?
  • How are local authorities progressing with local plans and what is the timeframe for delivery?
  • How will NDMPs work with local plans and how will the proposed system work in practice?
  • What is the new interpretation of ‘material considerations’ when it comes to planning permission and could this make things more difficult for developers?
  • How are local authorities approaching the local plan process and do we except it to increase housing delivery?
  • With a shortage of resources in the public sector, what are the solutions to help the planning system and where does technology fit in?
  • What kind of technology is being used and considered?
  • How can we encourage positive engagement between the public and private sectors?
  • What is the effect of a change of Government locally or nationally on the planning process in a practical sense?
11.00am Coffee & Networking
11.30am Midday Conference Session
  • Developer Contributions and the new Infrastructure Levy – what is wrong and how does this improve it?
  • The arrival of the new infrastructure levy – what can we expect, what will remain from the old system, and can we expect an uplift in delivery?
  • What remains for section 106 agreements?
  • What is a realistic timeframe for this to evolve?
  • What do proposed reforms for the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process mean for housing?
  • What are the proposals from the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill and how will they change the process?
  • What is the aim and what is the reality?
  • What are the likely impacts and how could the system be improved?
  • The Role of the Planning Inspectorate in the modern Planning system
  • How will the appeals system adapt to the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill proposals?
  • How can PINS speed up the process and how has the Rosewell Review been implemented?
  • The Key Planning Decisions from the Last Year
  • What significant Planning Appeal Decisions have there been & why are they significant?
  • Which Court decisions & Secretary of State Decisions which affect planning do we need to be aware of and why?
  • Which recent appeals and case law do developers and Local Authorities need to know about?
1.15pm Networking Lunch Session
2.15pm Afternoon Conference Session
  • Developer Panel Session
  • How do developers feel about the new proposed changes from the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill?
  • Are these viewed as an improvement?
  • How could future interaction and initiatives between Private and Public Sector Planners be advantageous to the process and understanding each other’s role?
  • How else can we break down Private & Public Sector barriers to improve the Planning Process?
  • How do Developers feel about new technology in the planning sector – is it key to modernising and simplifying the process?
  • Do developers see the new infrastructure levy as being better and more transparent than the current system?
  • If you could propose one amendment to the new bill to Government, what would it be and why?
  • The Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill and the vital role of public engagement – how can technology allow communities to have a meaningful say on development in their local area?
  • How can we really engage the silent sectors of society who are pro development and give them a fair voice, and a chance for meaningful dialogue?
  • What is the path to really grow support and understanding for new developments?
  • How can technology & innovation be used to boost the process and how will we see this evolve in the next 5-10 years?
  • The Viability Session – The Leading practitioners take us through the key issues following the arrival of the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill, and the infrastructure levy, which will change the system fundamentally.
  • Where are we with viability?
  • What will the proposals from the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill, and viability being assessed at the local plan stage, mean for the system as a whole?
  • What does this mean for developers in the next 2-3 years and what steps should they take?
  • What does the new infrastructure levy mean for Affordable Housing?
  • How can values be set & negotiated and how and where can will it be delivered?
  • How will the new infrastructure levy be collected and spent?
  • How can infrastructure be funded in advance so that it is ready when developments arrive?
  • Infrastructure Delivery strategies – how will LAs be accountable for how the levy is spent?
  • How will the levy be distributed across the Country?
  • What contributions in kind, such as a school, will count towards the levy?
4.20pm Conference Close & Networking Drinks Session