50 Shades of Planning

Even by the standards of the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning 2022 has been quite a year. Who better to review it, Sam Stafford thought, than Zack Simons, one of the most erudite, informed and entertaining thought leaders in the planning profession. Sam and Zack consider some of the year's important planning stories and, excitingly, Zack hands out his 2022 #Planarak Awards. A point of clarification. In discussing the controversial foreword to the Pre-Submission Spelthorne Local Plan, Sam suggested that it had not been removed from the Submission version. It actually has been. Some accompanying reading. The Levelling Up White Paper https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/levelling-up-the-united-kingdom Michael Gove scraps radical planning law following fierce Tory backlash https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/02/25/michael-gove-scraps-radical-planning-law-following-fierce-tory/#:~:text=Mr%20Gove%20disclosed%20his%20decision,is%20no%20standalone%20Planning%20Bill.%E2%80%9D New minister suggests tweaks to local housing need and five-year land supply requirements https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1748434/new-minister-suggests-tweaks-local-housing-need-five-year-land-supply-requirements#:~:text=The%20new%20housing%20minister%20Stuart,the%20levelling%2Dup%20agenda%E2%80%9D Turley’s neutrality update https://www.turley.co.uk/comment/nutrient-neutrality-march-2022-update-it-just-got-whole-lot-bigger Counting the cost of delay: The economic impact of Local Plan delay to housing delivery https://lichfields.uk/blog/2022/april/26/counting-the-cost-of-delay-the-economic-impact-of-local-plan-delay-to-housing-delivery/ The LURB https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3155 Michael Gove: Britain needs beautiful homes and communities. That’s why I’ll clamp down on developers of soulless dormitories https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-10816969/MICHAEL-GOVE-Britain-needs-beautiful-homes-communities.html ‘New NPPF to come out next month, says Gove https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1789261/new-nppf-next-month-says-gove Council rips up local plan following Truss’s pledge to cut ‘Stalinist’ housing targets https://www.housingtoday.co.uk/news/council-rips-up-local-plan-following-trusss-pledge-to-cut-stalinist-housing-targets/5119693.article The Growth Plan https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/the-growth-plan Michael Gove’s Written Ministerial Statement https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-12-06/hcws415 The #Planoraks 2022 🏆 - worst planning reform of the year https://www.planoraks.com/posts-1/-the-planoraks-2022-worst-planning-reform-of-the-year Council says its draft local plan will make area a ‘less attractive place to live’ due to brutal housing targets https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1792929/council-says-its-draft-plan-will-area-less-attractive-place-live-due-brutal-housing-targets Sunak’s vow to stop housebuilding on green belt labelled as ‘desperate’ https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/28/rishi-sunak-warned-pledge-to-stop-green-belt-development-will-worsen-uk-housing-crisis Boris Johnson pledges no homes will be built on green fields https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/10/06/boris-johnson-pledges-no-homes-green-fields/ Some accompanying listening Round and Round by New Order https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1tjQqWqqAA 50 Shades T-Shirts! If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast you will have heard Clive Betts say that... 'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'. Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html

It’s cold, dark and miserable and, alas, there is little in Michael Gove’s recent Written Ministerial Statement to warm the cockles of a planner’s heart. Hopefully then the return of the 50 Shades of Planning Festive Christmas Quiz will spread some seasonal cheer. Even by the standards of the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning it has been quite a year. With the help of Richard Garlick at Planning magazine, who provided Sam Stafford with some of the most-read stories on PlanningResource.co.uk, Sam quizzes some of the 50 Shades alumni on 2022’s highlights and lowlights. Expect fun, frivolity and an appearance from a very special guest… Some accompanying reading. January Housebuilder Barratt acquires land promoter Gladman https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1738870/housebuilder-barratt-acquires-land-promoter-gladman February Appeal Court upholds ruling that planners can ignore schemes’ downstream’ environmental effects https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1741047/appeal-court-upholds-ruling-planners-ignore-schemes-downstream-environmental-effects March Essex council votes against adopting local plan https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1750732/essex-council-votes-against-adopting-local-plan April City council isolates planning department for two weeks to clear applications backlog https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1754358/city-council-isolates-planning-department-two-weeks-clear-applications-backlog May Housing land supply requirement scrapped for authorities with up-to-date plans https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1755937/housing-land-supply-requirement-scrapped-authorities-up-to-date-plans June We will prevent PINS ‘imposing’ unrealistic housing figures on communities, says Gove https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1789386/will-prevent-pins-imposing-unrealistic-housing-figures-communities-says-gove July Tory leadership hopeful pledges to scrap ‘top-down Stalinist housing targets’ https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1793500/tory-leadership-hopeful-pledges-scrap-top-down-stalinist-housing-targets August Truss pledges to ditch advice that blocks housing on nutrient water pollution grounds https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1796345/truss-pledges-ditch-advice-blocks-housing-nutrient-water-pollution-grounds September The planning track record of new housing secretary Simon Clarke https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1798201/planning-track-record-new-housing-secretary-simon-clarke October Council delays local plan work over housing need and national policy uncertainties https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1802582/council-delays-local-plan-work-housing-need-national-policy-uncertainties#:~:text=A%20Midlands%20council%20has%20ditched,%E2%80%9Cimportant%20matters%20from%20government%E2%80%9D November Government to ‘refocus’ investment zone programme on universities https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1805590/government-refocus-investment-zone-programme-universities#:~:text=The%20chancellor%20has%20said%20that,planning%20rules%20or%20housing%20delivery December What Gove’s changes to housing need will mean for local plan-making https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1808430/goves-changes-housing-need-will-mean-local-plan-making

It was about a year ago that Catriona Riddell first wrote in Planning magazine about low morale in local planning authorities, which Catriona, Peter Geraghty, Paul Brocklehurst and Sam Stafford followed up with the 'Life on the Front Line' episode (no. 60). 'Life on the Front Line' was informed by a 'Call for Evidence', the submissions to which, mostly anonymised, are reproduced on Sam's 50 Shades blog (link below). Catriona has again used her Planning magazine column to raise the issue of morale in LPAs, making the point that, one year on, it does not feel like things have improved much. Many of the factors impacting on morale have been well documented, Catriona writes, but whilst there seems to be some general agreement around the causes, little has been offered in the way of solutions. As Catriona writes, too many authorities are actively discouraging a return to the office, which is not healthy; not conducive to team working; and is unlikely to support the accessibility that planning departments need to offer as a public service. Further, this continuing prioritisation of virtual working affords limited access to both formal training and mentoring, and informal development opportunities for younger, less experienced planners Sam would like to revisit Life on the Front Line for another 50 Shades episode that explores in more detail whether and how things have changed over the last year or so. This then is another Call for Evidence, which is open to planners across all sectors and not just those in local government. If anybody would like to send Sam their thoughts on the issues raised by Catriona, or indeed any other issues that are impacting on your ability to do your job, do please drop him a line to samstafford@hotmail.com and he will add them to the Life on the Front Line Blog, anonymously if preferred. The invitation last year was mostly taken up by junior officers and so Sam would be especially keen to hear this time from more senior officers and service leaders. What is it like managing people and budgets in the current climate? What are the obstacles to getting people back in the office and how can they be overcome? How has the 'top-down targets' farrago affected relationships with members? All planners are invited to share this invitation across their professional networks. Some accompanying reading. The Life on the Front Line Blog http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/12/life-on-front-line.html Council planning chiefs must show purpose to keep isolated junior staff on board, by Catriona Riddell https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1807553/council-planning-chiefs-show-purpose-keep-isolated-junior-staff-board-catriona-riddell?bulletin=planning-daily&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=eNews%20Bulletin&utm_source=20221209&utm_content=Planning%20Resource%20Daily%20(142)::www_planningresource_co_u_20&email_hash=

It’s cold, wet and miserable and, alas, there is little in Michael Gove’s recent Written Ministerial Statement to warm the cockles of a planner’s heart. Hopefully then the return of the 50 Shades of Planning Festive Christmas Quiz will spread some seasonal cheer. Even by the standards of the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning it has been quite a year. With the help of Richard Garlick at Planning magazine, who provided Sam Stafford with some of the most-read stories on PlanningResource.co.uk, Sam quizzes some of the 50 Shades alumni on 2022’s highlights and lowlights. Expect fun, frivolity and an appearance from a very special guest… Some accompanying reading January Minister announces new performance measures for planning inspectors to speed up appeal decisions https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1738709/minister-announces-new-performance-measures-planning-inspectors-speed-appeal-decisions February Government announces first council to be designated under ‘special measures’ programme for seven years https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1739648/government-announces-first-council-designated-special-measures-programme-seven-years March Councils to freeze decisions on housing applications following Natural England recreation advice https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1749748/councils-freeze-decisions-housing-applications-following-natural-england-recreation-advice#:~:text=A%20moratorium%20on%20determining%20planning,damage%20a%20protected%20forest%20site. April Councils three times more likely to successfully defend design refusals following NPPF change, research finds https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1754069/councils-three-times-likely-successfully-defend-design-refusals-following-nppf-change-research-finds May New leader says council to consider withdrawing local plan after branding housing target as ‘nonsense’ https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1788258/new-leader-says-council-consider-withdrawing-local-plan-branding-housing-target-nonsense June New NPPF to come out next month, says Gove https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1789261/new-nppf-next-month-says-gove July Truss pledges new simplified planning zones to create 21st century Bournvilles https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1794102/truss-pledges-new-simplified-planning-zones-create-21st-century-bournvilles August Government plans to take powers to shorten national infrastructure examinations https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1797265/government-plans-powers-shorten-national-infrastructure-examinations?bulletin=planning-daily&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=eNews%20Bulletin&utm_source=20220830&utm_content=Planning%20Resource%20Daily%20(75)::www_planningresource_co_uk_art&email_hash= September Affordable housing and environmental requirements ‘to be relaxed in new investment zones’ https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1799678/affordable-housing-environmental-requirements-to-relaxed-new-investment-zones#:~:text=Services%20Guide%20Show-,Affordable%20housing%20and%20environmental%20requirements%20'to,relaxed%20in%20new%20investment%20zones'&text=The%20government%20is%20set%20to,growth%2C%20according%20to%20media%20reports. October Gove returns as levelling up secretary https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1803168/gove-returns-levelling-secretary November Half of councils lack the capacity to monitor compliance with planning enforcement, says survey https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1806623/half-councils-lack-capacity-monitor-compliance-planning-enforcement-says-survey December Government promises ‘strengthened’ green belt protections and penalties for ‘slow’ developers https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1807348/government-promises-strengthened-green-belt-protections-penalties-slow-developers

This is an old skool, Adam Buxton-style ramble chat 50 Shades episode in which Sam Stafford fills his lunch hour with what he enjoys most: talking about planning with some of his planning friends. Planning being the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world that it is there was a lot to take in. Sam's conversation with Simon Ricketts, Claire Petricca-Riding and Vicky Payne covers a busy week that included the Autumn Statement; amendments to the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill; what Michael Gove had to say in a keynote speech; COP27 and the Supreme Court's Hillside Parks decision. Simon Ricketts (@sricketts1) is a Partner at Town Legal. Claire Petricca-Riding (@petriccaRiding) is a Partner and National Head of Planning & Environmental Law at Irwin Mitchell. Vicky Payne (@Victoria_Payne) is Strategy, Research & Engagement Lead at the Quality of Life Foundation. Some accompanying reading. Simon’s ‘All Systems Gove’ blog (which itself includes lots of interesting links) https://simonicity.com/2022/11/19/all-systems-gove/  Sam’s 'State of Planning' Blog  http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-state-of-planning.html  Banking on Brownfield - a Lichfields report https://lichfields.uk/content/insights/banking-on-brownfield  Michael Gove's speech to the CPS conference https://capx.co/unlocking-the-change-this-country-needs/  Robert Jenrick and the 'perception of landbanking' https://www.housingtoday.co.uk/news/government-will-act-on-build-out-rates-jenrick-confirms/5112044.article  The Quality of Life Foundation  https://www.qolf.org/  Simon’s Hillside Parks Blog  https://simonicity.com/2022/11/02/running-down-that-hillside/  Some accompanying listening Hillside Song by My Morning Jacket https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbxrWHfblKo  50 Shades T-Shirts! If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast you will have heard Clive Betts say that... 'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'. Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html

Planning is rarely out of the news these days, certainly in England. It gets mentioned in speeches by party leaders, it garners headlines in the national and local press and has been the focus of multiple reform initiatives, especially over the last twenty years. Yet, these debates largely concern the ‘planning system’ and its policies, targets, methods, legislation and decision-making procedures. What about the planners themselves? What do they do all day?’ These are not an unreasonable questions for a town planning-based podcast to ask, especially for an episode timed to coincide with World Town Planning Day, and, helpfully, are questions that a study to be published by four academics, Geoff Vigar, Abigail Schoneboom, Jason Slade and Malcom Tait, seeks to answer. Their book, ‘What Town Planners Do’ (from where Sam Stafford pilfered that opening paragraph) offers "a unique insight into the everyday lives of planners and those in associated built environment occupations" and readers are promised "an exceptional account of the micro-politics of a knowledge-intensive profession". "It seeks to put planners and where they work at centre stage". Sam talks in this episode about the themes of the study and the four ethnographic case studies from which they emerge with three of the study’s authors. Geoff Vigar is a Professor of Urban Planning at Newcastle University; Abigail Schoneboom is a Lecturer in Urban Planning at Newcastle University and Jason Slade is a Lecturer in Town Planning at Sheffield University. Some accompanying reading. The Working in the Public Interest programme https://witpi.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/home What Town Planners Do https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/what-town-planners-do Some accompanying listening. Music To Plan Towns To - Sam's town planning-themed Spotify playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/73JzYK9UqCXRiUjQhgSID4?si=hKtgaaweTAeloOk1sEJ85w 50 Shades T-Shirts! If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast you will have heard Clive Betts say that... 'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'. Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html

This episode is published with thanks to Simon Ricketts and his Planning Law Unplanned Clubhouse forum. Simon recently had a Clubhouse chat with Hashi Mohamed about Hashi’s book ‘A Home of One’s Own’ and they kindly agreed to record it so that Sam Stafford could share it via his 50 Shades podcast. Simon is a partner at Town Legal, author of the Simonicity planning blog and a frequent 50 Shades contributor. Hashi is a broadcaster, barrister and public speaker, and links to his work can be found below, including to his Radio 4 Analysis programme ‘Planning, Housing & Politics’. These are the themes that Simon and Hashi explore in their conversation about ‘A Home of One’s Own’, with some contributions towards the end of the discussion from Lucy Wood, James Pargeter and Kim Power. Some accompanying reading. Simon’s Simonicity blog https://simonicity.com/ Hashi’s website https://www.hashimohamed.com/ Some accompanying listening. Planning Law Unplanned https://www.clubhouse.com/club/planning-law-unplan?utm_medium=ch_club&utm_campaign=7-ikaMXnsZEKQ2GVi2x7xQ-412656 Hashi’s Radio 4 Analysis programme https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0014ptp The Charlatans – A House Is Not A Home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKqJf1r77TM 50 Shades T-Shirts! If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast you will have heard Clive Betts say that... 'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'. Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html

Hitting The High Notes is town planning’s equivalent of Desert Island Discs. In these episodes Sam Stafford chats to preeminent figures in the planning and property sectors about the six planning permissions or projects that helped to shape them as professionals. And, so that we can get to know people a little better personally, for every permission or project Sam asks his guests for a piece of music that reminds them of that period of their career. Unlike Desert Island Discs you will not hear any of that music during the episode because using commercially-licensed music without the copyright holders permission or a very expensive PRS licensing agreement could land Sam in hot water, so, when you have finished listening to this episode, you will have to make do with YouTube videos and a Spotify playlist, links to which you will find below. Sam's guest for this episode of Hitting The High Notes is Peter Dixon. Peter's studies at Cambridge started with archaeology and anthropology, but finished with land economy. Having started his career as a surveyor with JR Eve, Peter co-founded planning consultancy Hepher Dixon, which was subsequently acquired by Savills, before retraining as a barrister. Their conversation takes in the changing role of the planning consultant, the circular nature of planning policy, Noel Coward, motorway service areas and a football stadium. Peter's song selections. Walking on Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPUmE-tne5U Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6O1AYUrVQs Louisa by Noel Coward https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jJpZE1PSlI Grouch of the Day by Squeeze https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP3paAlx54k Kaddish, Deuz Melodies Hebraiques No 1 by Maurice Ravel (from Camille Thomas’ ‘Voice of Hope) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEZ9wwVbZMQ Between the Devil and the deep Blue Sea by George Harrison https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMJEtLjnO7E Peter's Spotify playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3g5MWyrbKY41lyhfxKcfb1?si=PPqbzrwoTg2oxYxi-POGGw 50 Shades T-Shirts! If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast you will have heard Clive Betts say that... 'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'. Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html

It will not have gone unnoticed that the Government published a 'Growth Plan' on Friday 23 September 2022 with implications for the Development Consent Order regime and the introduction of a new Investment Zone concept. Additional information about Investment Zones was published the following day (links below). Friend of the podcast Simon Ricketts hastily convened one of his 'Planning Law, Unplanned' Clubhouse sessions for the Tuesday evening to which Sam Stafford, along with Iain Thomson, Shelly Rouse, Nicola Gooch and Jonathan Easton, were invited to contribute. This episode then is slightly different from previous ones in that they all kindly agreed to record that conversation so that some of it could be used and shared by Sam for 50 Shades. You will hear then in the next forty five minutes or so some thoughts from that group on what is known and not known about the Growth Plan and what the implications for planning may or may not be. Simon Ricketts (@sricketts1) is a Partner at Town Legal. Iain Thomson (@KingofSurbo) is MD at Bellona Advisors. Shelly Rouse (@rouse_shelly) is a Principal Consultant at the Planning Advisory Service. Nicola Gooch (not on Twitter) is a Partner at Irwin Mitchell. Jonathan Easton (@jonnye47) is a full-time Barrister at Kings Chambers and a part-time punster. Some accompanying reading. The Growth Plan https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-growth-plan-2022-documents/the-growth-plan-2022-html Additional information about Growth Zones https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investment-zones-in-england Simon's Growth Plan Blog https://simonicity.com/2022/09/23/what-does-the-growth-plan-mean-for-development-and-infrastructure/ Iain's Growth Plan Blog https://www.bellona-advisors.co.uk/reports/growth-plan-analysis/ Nicola's Growth Plan Blog https://imbusiness.passle.net/post/102hxsn/what-truss-did-on-my-holidays-its-much-more-than-just-the-mini-budget Sam's Growth Plan Blog http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2022/09/in-investment-zone.html Zack Simon's Growth Plan Blog https://www.planoraks.com/posts-1/investment-zones Some accompanying listening. Docklands Renewed by Sea Power https://youtu.be/hCVDjaelqDM 50 Shades T-Shirts! If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast you will have heard Clive Betts say that... 'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'. Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html

When Sam Stafford introduced Episode 38 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast on nutrient neutrality he described the topic of eutrophication as a bit like the podcast itself. A little niche, but very important. Since then, February 2021, whilst the podcast remains a little niche, the nutrient neutrality issue has very much broken into the mainstream of planning consciousness. Sam and his guests in Episode 38 spoke for the most part about the Solent, which was the first SPA within which Natural England recommended that LPAs withhold planning permission unless negative impacts of development can be ruled out completely. In March this year, 2022, Natural England announced that a further 20 catchments covering 42 additional local authorities were also subject to the restriction, which brings to a total of 27, the number of catchments, and 74, the number of LPAs, that are now subject to the restrictions. The HBF has calculated that at least 100,000 homes are currently delayed because of the nutrients issue. A further eighteen months on Sam revisits the questions posed in Episode 38. What has the impact of this issue been? How far away is a satisfactory resolution in those parts of the country that have been affected? And, with change afoot for both the post-Brexit environmental assessment regime and the planning system more broadly, what lessons can be drawn for planning at the scale of a river catchment? Sam's guests in this episode are: Marian Cameron, Director, Marian Cameron Consultants Ltd;Max Tant, Flood Risk Manager, Kent County Council;Rachel Jones, Ecology Manager & Senior Nutrient Project Officer, Wiltshire Council; andSimon Packer, Director, Turley  Some accompanying reading George Eustice’s WMS https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-sets-out-plan-to-reduce-water-pollution July's Chief Planner Letter https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1093278/Chief_Planner_Letter_with_Nutrient_Neutrality_and_HRA_Update_-_July_2022.pdf How a Tesco chicken deal may have helped pollute one of the UK’s favourite rivers https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/14/tesco-chicken-deal-uk-favourite-river-wye-pollution Truss vows to ditch nutrient neutrality rules https://www.housingtoday.co.uk/news/truss-vows-to-ditch-nutrient-neutrality-rules/5118915.article Achieving nutrient neutrality for new housing development – The economic impact of the under-delivery of housing. https://www.hbf.co.uk/news/report-achieving-nutrient-neutrality-new-housing-development-economic-impact-under-delivery-housing/ New report finds Natural England significantly over estimates the impact of new housing development on nutrient pollution. https://www.hbf.co.uk/news/new-report-finds-natural-england-significantly-overestimates-impact-new-housing-development-nutrient-pollution/  Some accompanying listening.  Episode 38 – Neutral Impact https://pod.co/50-shades-of-planning/neutral-impact Dirty Water by The Jesus & Mary Chain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na85WcMSqjo 50 Shades T-Shirts! If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast you will have heard Clive Betts say that... 'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'. Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html