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Planning Law Encyclopedias

Lisa Walton, modified 8 Years ago.

Planning Law Encyclopedias

Enthusiast Posts: 30 Join Date: 15/09/14 Recent Posts

I wonder if anyone has experience of using the online version of the Thomson Reuters/Sweet and Maxwell Planning Law and Practice Encyclopedias?  

I am just in the process of trialling the online version and I've not found it particularly helpful or easy to use.  

Does anyone have a view between the paper encyclopedias and the online versions.  The online version is more expensive but the benefit is the search function and you don't have to update them with the paper inserts.

I have previously found the Development Control Practice online a very useful source of information.  

Just wondering if anyone can let me know what they think?

Former Member, modified 8 Years ago.

RE: Planning Law Encyclopedias

Hi Lisa,

 

In what ways was it unhelpful and not easy to use? How did you arrange the trial?

 

I must say that I am not a fan of on-line books of any kind as I generally like the tactile experience! Also in the case of the Planning Encyclopedia, it is not unknown for me to have 3 or 4 volumes open at once which is difficult on-line even with twin screens! 

Lisa Walton, modified 8 Years ago.

RE: Planning Law Encyclopedias

Enthusiast Posts: 30 Join Date: 15/09/14 Recent Posts

HI Tony

We decided to cancel our subscription because the updates had not been put in for over a year and there was doubt about whether they were actually up to date even with the updates.  They had not been used for some time as staff had been obtaining the information online/elsewhere.  We looked at the cost of getting a brand new set of up to date enclyclopedia and the cost was pretty similar to a years subscription so the decision was made.  However the website offers the online version but do allow you to have a free trial before commiting to that version.  I've since found that there are manuals/tutorials if you sign up to the online version. But I don't think you can access these until you sign up.  

I wanted to know if anyone else had used this way of accessing the encyclopedias.

Lisa

Former Member, modified 8 Years ago.

RE: Planning Law Encyclopedias

We had a trial of the online version but ended up keeping the paper version instead.  I found navigation of the online version particularly poor, as the online version is simply the paper version in electronic format.  
Former Member, modified 8 Years ago.

RE: Planning Law Encyclopedias

I consider the PLE to be an indispensable tool of the trade. The task of filing the updates when they are published needs to be done as soon as they arive by a responsible person and not, I sugest, by the most junior which is waht tends to happen in some authorities. The updates, due to the preperation and publishing time, do lag behind the actual changes. From Pauls comment it seems that the updates to the electronic version are no quicker.

The big advantage with the PLE is the comentary which is not available anywhere else.   

Former Member, modified 8 Years ago.

RE: Planning Law Encyclopedias

In my Authority the Legal Department went over to an electronic version but the Planning Department stayed paper and updates are done when they arrive.  we found that Planning Solicitors were visiting the Planning Department to look at the paper version as they did not like the online version.  We have had a number of Public Inquiries and Counsell wanted the paper versions of the PLE at the Inquiry for reference.  Luckily we had one as I am not sure what would have happened if everyone was electronic.  As Tony says when you need to have several pages/volumes open at the same time, as happened at the Inquiries, it is difficult if not impossible on screen and more so if you only have a lap top.