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Land Use Planning

The Land Use Planning Working Group acts to conserve the natural and historic environment by seeking improvements to the national planning system for the benefit of biodiversity, landscapes and people. The Group works to ensure that the reform of the planning regime in England helps to deliver better protection and enhancement of the natural environment as a key component of sustainable development.

Chair: Rebecca Pullinger, The Woodland Trust

Vice Chair: Carl Bunnage, RSPB

Link: Emma Clarke, Policy Officer


Update from the group:

Link's Land Use Planning Group will continue to highlight how planning can make a positive contribution to nature's recovery, rather than perpetuating the sustained habitat loss seen over recent decades. 

Link is also a part of the Better Planning Coalition in collaboration with 17 other organisations from across the nature, housing, transport and heritage sectors. You can find all the Better Planning Coalition briefings and more information about the coalition on the coalition website. You can find the most recent Link briefing on the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill here. Next, the group will look to influence the development of National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) introduced by the Bill and the updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The LUPG has been advocating for robust BNG regulations and guidance ahead of mandatory implementation. The group wrote to Minister Harrison in Autumn 2023, ahead of the confirmation of the delay to mandatory BNG to January 2024.

Recently, the LUPG has also responded to Government's planning proposals on major infrastructure projects fast-tracking, expanded permitted development rights, and on reforms to local plan-making.

For further information, contact Emma Clarke, Link's Policy Officer.

Last updated: 24 October 2023

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