Avoiding costly planning appeals: what needs to change in national and local planning policies

Whilst the Government acknowledge there is a ‘critical’ need nationally for more later living accommodation, the Housing Communities and Local Government Select Committee Report into the Planning White Paper has recommended that stronger national policy/legislation is required to support an increase in provision. Recent Appeal Decisions have also exposed at a local level, a lack both of a proper assessment of the need for such accommodation, and plan policies to secure delivery.

The message to authorities who refuse planning permission for later living accommodation (including extra care) in circumstances where they have failed to carry out a proper assessment of the housing needs of older people, and do not have policies in place to deliver choice in terms of meeting such needs, appears to be clear. Indeed, there would appear to be an increasing likelihood of such decisions being overturned on appeal and of costs awards being made against such authorities to add to the huge resources and substantial costs they themselves have to invest in fighting these appeals.

Development plans need to be updated and the National Policy Planning Framework needs to support the policy side of retirement housing. In this webinar we were joined by a panel of experts who explored: