Plan making

MCDVoice – Looking for Insights and Best Practices

2026-07-31T06:16:35Z

Hello everyone,

I’m looking for information and insights related to MCDVoice and would appreciate any guidance from the community.

Specifically, I’m interested in learning about:

What mcdvoice is and its primary purpose.
Best practices or recommendations for using it effectively.
Common issues or challenges users have encountered.
Any useful resources, documentation, or experiences you can share.

If anyone has first-hand experience or can point me toward reliable information, I’d be grateful for your input.

Thank you in advance for your time and assistance. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

RE: Self Build

2024-03-18T09:43:15Z

Hi Helen,

At Fareham Borough Council we adopted out Local Plan last year which includes a CSB% policy for larger sites. At examination developers did seek to challenge the register as a source for demand but we argued that the register under-represents demand - there is data from NaCSBA that supports that registers are under-measuring demand by approx 64%. see link: Right to Build registers underestimate self build demand by two thirds (nacsba.org.uk).

As part of our evidence gathering, we send a survey to our register every 2 years to confirm they are still seeking to undertake CSB and to gather info on type, size, location of property they are interested in. Whilst we don't gather specific financial data, we do ask questions around their financial planning/how they intend to fund, the anonymous results of the survey are summarised and publised on our website. All this was accepted as appropriate evidence at examination, and although it is early days, since adoption, so far no developers have pushed back on evidence of need (which we aren't meeting yet). On one of our sites the developer is looking at delivering the CSB as affordable custom-build, which could help to address the issues you are experiencing with developers arguing about the financial position of people on the register? I have been having discussions with the developers on an individual basis to discuss the broad range of CSB to see what will fit with their development, which has definitely helped.

Now for a shameless plug! As well as being a Policy Planner at FBC, I work with the Right to Build Task Force so wanted to mention that there's lots of information available on the Right to Build Task Force website: Right to Build Task Force : Home which is useful in supporting your approach (it is free to sign up - there are also regular mastercalsses which can help - also free to LPAs!).

RE: Self Build

2024-03-18T08:36:04Z

Hi Helen,

In my previous role as an Affordable Housing Enabler at Perth & Kinross Council, we were starting to look at SB as an alternative to affordable housing onsite provision to allow this choice for people on lower incomes. This approach is also likely to be used in the future for South Lanarkshire. As a result, we gather data about location choices, whether people were "shovel ready" in terms of money and what their timescales are for delivery, were a plot to become available. We looked at it as a way of enabling smaller sites, where onsite afforable homes were not likely to stack up financially, to be delivered by asking for serviced affrdoable self build plots.

1. Have you experienced objections from developers in respect of reliance on the register and the data held on it? Smaller builders were initially suspicious but started to see this as a way to open up a site with support from the council.

2. Do you carry out annual surveys to establish whether those on the register are still interested? This is something that will need to be implemented but we haven't undertaken it yet.

3. Are you aware of mechanisms with regards to financial gurantees sought for purchasers of self build plots? As our approach is primarily for self build to a posisble choice for people on lower incomes, we would likely allocate plots to people who have evidenced their income and can achieve a self build mortgage, should the plot be provided for them using a rural housing burden (ie that the home has to be sold at an affordable rate assessed by current market averages).

4. Have you held any developer forums on this topic and what kind of questions came up? We have provided some guidance and are aiming to undertake more awareness sessions with both Development Management, Housing and external partners to ensure the apporach is understood and implemented to support affordable housing provision.

RE: Self Build

2024-03-17T09:42:08Z

Hi Helen,

Interesting question. Does your planning policy require a % of plots to be self-build? And you have developers objecting to making provision?

If yes, I think that we are in a differen't position in that we do not require self-build. Instead, with a healthy land supply and a recently adopted Plan we have developers trying to use self-build as a way of getting permissions outside settlement boundaries. So, generally speaking, we have developers arguing that our register doesn't capture enough of the true demand. If I have understood correctly, that is the opposite of your problem...?

So whilst my answers may not help you I am going to reply in the hope of seeing everyone else's answers to your interesting questions!

1. Yes, but not in the way you seem to describe - see above.

2. We intend to introduce an annual survey of whether people are still interested but I think this doesn't sit easily with the way in which the statutory duty is set out...i.e. if tested in the courts it may be that once you join the Register the LPA is committed to granting a permission, regardless of whether you remain committed to developing a dwelling. Very interested in others' views on this.

3. No, sorry. Unless you mean the financial solvency test for joining the register?

4. No.

Best wishes,

Robert

Self Build

2024-03-14T10:14:33Z

Hello

We have an adopted Local Plan policy and SPD on Self Build. But we are experiencing some push back from developers who do not agree with it. They consider that the Register cannot be relied on to demonstrate demand, and there is no confirmation that those on the Register have the finance to undertake self build, along with the time and costs incurred for providing self build plots when they consider the demand has not be robustly demonstrated etc.

For those who have a Self Build policy, or who have approved self build plots, could I ask the following questions please

1. Have you experienced objections from developers in respect of reliance on the register and the data held on it?

2. Do you carry out annual surveys to establish whether those on the register are still interested?

3. Are you aware of mechanisms with regards to financial gurantees sought for purchasers of self build plots?

4. Have you held any developer forums on this topic and what kind of questions came up?

Many thanks

RE: Gove's WMS 19th December and Local Development Scheme Reviews

2024-02-22T16:02:04Z

Tangentially relevant perhaps?

https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2024/359.html

RE: Planning Obligations Formulas Within Local Plans Rather than SPD

2024-02-09T09:27:21Z

Thnaks for this Andrea. Very helpful.

RE: Planning Obligations Formulas Within Local Plans Rather than SPD

2024-02-09T09:15:51Z

Hi Jonathan

We're also a unitary county-based LA and had to make modifications to include our planning obligations formulae in explanatory appendices to our Northumberland Local Plan (adopted March 2022) - see Appendices D and H1-4 re. affordable housing, open space, education, health and coastal mitigation. So would agree they can't be set out in an SPD (no point now anyway seeing as SPD's are set to become defunct). Not sure about Supplementary Plans tbh, but guess if the policy requiring the contribution is in the main Local Plan then so should the formula be.

Andrea

Planning Obligations Formulas Within Local Plans Rather than SPD

2024-02-09T09:01:10Z

In starting work on our new local plan, we’ve noticed that the PPG has changed to preclude local authorities including formula based approaches to planning obligations in SPDs (Paragraph: 004 Reference ID: 23b-004-20190901). We’ve also noticed in the PAS FAQs on new Supplementary Plans that these also can’t be used to set out detail, such as approaches to Planning Obligations. As an authority that doesn’t use CIL, we currently have an SPD to deal with Planning Obligations and formulas, and as a Unitary, this is a significant document. We are now wondering how we deal with this in the new Local Plan. This could delay the preparation of the Plan and also make it significantly longer as a document.

Are there any other non-CIL authorities that have come across this issue? If so, it would be really useful to know how other authorities are dealing with this as we have not really come across anyone who appears to have done this.

Gove's WMS 19th December and Local Development Scheme Reviews

2024-01-26T13:40:35Z

I note the advice of PAS today which as ever is useful in as far as it can go. Interesting and very frustrating that no direct message has come from the Chief Planner on the subject as yet.

My query is largely for those authorities, like my own, who are extremely unlikely to be advanced enough to submit a local plan under the current system prior to the June 2025 deadline (although not sure whether this date has any real legislative status till regulations come out).

Under the "new" planning system that means we cannot start formally till sometime in or after autumn 2024 and is predicated on having a new planning system in place. Given we are now in election year it has to be questioned whether the government will have time or inclination to introduce further legislation on plan making, particularly if this upsets its MPs in the shires.

Since we don't therefore have any real indication of what might survive of any new system what should be the best course of action?

Any advice gratefully received.

Free training - masterclass on self build

2023-06-20T08:24:56Z

Hi Planner Peeps

The Right to Build Task Force is running a masterclass on local plans on Weds 28th June. This lunchtime session is free to gov.uk people (if you're not on the Task Force email list, email taskforce @ righttobuild.co.uk to get the promo code. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/local-plans-the-changing-landscape-tickets-650638064967

The experience with LP policies is bedding in and a lot of common reps and MIQs are being seen now. Three dragons will be speaking about evidence (demand assessment and viability) - sadly there are still SHMNAs who are not addressing self/custom build appropriately as per NPPF 62 & NPPG. Yours truley will take you on whistle stop tour of recent local plans, and Homes England self comissioned housing unit will talk about moving to delivery. We're also inviting officers who've been on the sharp end of exams or implementing polcies to share a few experiences.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/local-plans-the-changing-landscape-tickets-650638064967

Importance of policy:

RE: Net zero carbon policies

2023-02-23T14:37:17Z

Hi Matt,

Not sure when you posted this but it just came up on my email. The Good Homes Aliiance were looking at complying a document setting where different Local Authorities were at in terms of Net Zero policies in Local Plans, so it may be worth contacting them.

Melanie

RE: Legal Framework for Examining Plans

2023-01-17T09:21:06Z

Have to concur with everything you said Jonathan

RE: Legal Framework for Examining Plans

2023-01-16T14:28:59Z

I totally agree with you Grant Jackson. That is exactly how I have understood chapter 9. We have the option of moving ahead with the Duty to Cooperate under the old style system, provided that we can reach submission prior to the 30 June 2025, or we can chose to wait for the new system, being introduced at the end of 2024.

RE: Legal Framework for Examining Plans

2023-01-18T09:27:57Z

Interesting observation Grant. I never thought of it like that but I see what you mean.

However, that would still carry some of the same issues and maybe some different ones.

Local authorities could still intentionally delay plan preparation in order to avoid DtC.What it means really is that at this point in time as we are now, local authorities need to be thinking very carefully about when they want to submit and the pros and cons. Then there's the risk of if you aim for submission before June 2025 you've got to start again. That might make authorities consider just starting to plan for a new regime (that is unknown) with an intention to submit after June. Either way, PINs might be very busy just before and just after June 2025.

It's a bit messy also as there is currently a consultation ongoing on canges to the NPPF. We don;t know exactly when a new NPPF will be published but if we have got to get plans submitted by 30 June 2025 we need to know what they will be examined against as one of the tests of Soundness is compliance with national policy..which keeps changing and is going to change again.....twice.

If there is going to be a set of national DM policies so we don't need DM policies in local plans, we need to know that and we need to know what they are very soon.

It seems clear to me that the NPPF has not worked. It was introduced in 2012 as the solution to overly detailed and lengthy national policy and guidance, reducing that policy and guidance to a couple of huindred pages. And of course at its heart was the boosting of the delivery of housing. We have then spent years having changes to PPG to explain the detail that was lost, legal decisons confirming meanings and several updates of the policy itself. Then a suggestion to scrap the whole lot and bring in zonal planning. Now two more NPPFs.

Everyone needs clarity for the planning system to work. Local authorities, developerrs and everyoine else it affects, including the public.

So we continue in a really unclear ststem for the next 2 years...after which we might even have a new Government. Probably meaning yet more changes.

RE: Legal Framework for Examining Plans

2023-01-16T09:33:00Z

As i understand it from reading chapter 9 of the consultation document. 30th June 2025 is the deadline for submitting plans under the existing legal framework and current or amended NPPF depending on the plan-making stage you are at. There isn't the possibility to submit plans after this deadline as missing the deadline means you will be required to prepare plans under the new plan-making system the Government anticipates to take effect from the end of 2024 over the 30 month period being proposed. So i read this as the choice is to carry on and submit prior to 30th June 2025 or move straight to the new system at the end of 2024 and prepare your 30 month plan under the provisions of the new policy and legal framework. Failure to meet the 30th June 2025 deadline means you have to prepare a new plan under the new policy and legal framework i.e. start again. Clearly it comes down to assessing all the pros and cons of what to do which is difficult in the absence of seeing the whole picture i.e. the final NPPF and PPG changes etc.

At least that's how i understood chapter 9 of the consultation document.

RE: Legal Framework for Examining Plans

2023-01-13T12:13:03Z

These are very good questions.

We are doing a series of in-person roadshows to support the NPPF consultation and hope to have a tame inspector with us. This is precisely the sort of issue we want to kick around so that your consultation response can point out the unforseen consequences (etc) in it.

We don't have all the details yet - I reckon our bulletin will be out next week.

Legal Framework for Examining Plans

2023-01-12T09:05:31Z

I noticed in the current consultation on Levelling Up and a new NPPF that the proposals are to set a time at which legal requirements for Plan making change.

we are proposing that plan makers will have until 30 June 2025 to submit their local plans, neighbourhood plans, minerals and waste plans, and spatial development strategies for independent examination under the existing legal framework; this will mean that existing legal requirements and duties, for example the Duty to Cooperate, will still apply.

This raises a question in my mind. Plans are examined on Soundness and Legal Compliance. If Plans that are SUBMITTED after 30 June 2025 are Examined against a new/different/proposed legal framework how will, that work with Duty to Cooperate?

DtC is a legal requirement and the requirement starts at the very beginning of plan making. The earliest stages. The point when you do not know when you will be submitting your Plan. The way the Government's proposals are set out, they intend to remove DtC as a legal requirement. So how does that fit with preparing a Plan? You start your Plan and you carry out DtC all the way through..and then you submit it in July 2025 and DtC no longer apllies?

An even bigger issue...does this not actually encourage local authorities that are neighbours to big cities (with 35% uplift) to delay plan making and to intentionally submit AFTER June 2025 when they have no legal DtC, thus making it much easier to avoid pressure to deal with unmet needs from their neighbour who has a 30% uplift? Politically at least it would seem attractive to hold back making your plan to avoid DtC and simply then be examined on meeting your own need? However, thus would not align wioth Government's desire to get Plans in place fast.

RE: Examination in Public costs?

2022-11-29T06:43:10Z

Ours was £155K. Full Plan review. 2 inspectors. 3 weeks of hearings. Examination March 2020-Jan 2022.

RE: Examination in Public costs?

2022-11-24T12:25:24Z

Our total bill from PINS was £93k. We had 12 days of hearings, a consultation on some additional evidence and then a consultation on mods. Hope this helps.