Planning Futures

Hannah David (Chair) - Planning Futures; Constance Bell (Barrister, Kings Chambers); Adam Gostling (Director, hgh Consulting); Sara Whelan (Decorum Borough Council)

Development on the Green Belt is a topic of perennial controversy, and is often strongly opposed by local residents and campaign groups.

The Government makes clear in policy that Green Belt land should be protected in order “to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open”.

However, development on the Green Belt is not always prohibited and there are a number of exceptions, set out in the NPPF, in which development on the Green Belt may be deemed appropriate.

One such exception is the “partial or complete redevelopment of previously developed land” (PDL). If an application for Green Belt development does not meet any of the exceptions set out in the NPPF, an application may still be allowed if the applicant can demonstrate very special circumstances.

This event will explore the various grounds for Green Belt planning applications – with a strong emphasis on applications citing PDL and very special circumstance.

It brings together three leading experts and will consider:

• How to develop a robust, policy compliant PDL application;
• Some common, and some not-so-common, examples of “very special circumstances”;
• How to make a robust application on the basis of “very special circumstances.”
• This event is suitable for planning professionals who wish to improve their knowledge of Green Belt planning issues, and all built environment stakeholders with an interest in development on the Green Belt.

Please e mail  for details.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport. 

As transport technology develops rapidly, and efforts to tackle air pollution and climate change become ever more urgent, transport in the UK is changing.

Following a century in which our roads were dominated by the internal combustion engine, the 2020s will usher in a new era of sustainable transport on our roads.

The Government has recently announced that by 2030 the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be phased out.  In July 2020 the Department for Transport published a new Cycling and Walking strategy, which sets out the Government’s vision to double the number of journey stages taken by bicycle.

In March 2021, the Government announced a new bus strategy, “Bus Back Better”.  In addition to reforming how bus services are planned and delivered, it sets out a roadmap to delivering a zero-emission bus fleet.

The next decade will also see the delivery of HS2 and Crossrail amongst a host of large-scale infrastructure projects, driving further changes to the ways in which we move across our cities and regions.

All of these changes will have an effect on how people across the country live and work, and will create cleaner, greener and less congested cities and towns.  In turn, they will also have a profound effect on how we plan the future development of our built environment.

We are delighted to be joined for this event by Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport.  As the Minister responsible for roads, buses and taxis, and for light rail, Baroness Vere, is uniquely well placed to set out the Government’s transport agenda for 2030 and beyond.

Please e mail  for details.

Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Environment Bill, which is due to become law before this event takes place, will change the relationship between the built and natural environments.

This event will explore how the new Environment Act will drive Government policy over the coming years, and will look in particular at the mandate for “net gain in biodiversity through the planning system,” a requirement that development should increase biodiversity by 10%.

We will be joined for this session by Rebecca Pow MP, the minister responsible for the Bill, who will set out the Government’s post legislative vision and the measures contained in the new act are put into policy and practice.

Following a brief presentation, the Minister will take questions from the chair and from the floor.

Please e mail  for details.