TO BE PUBLISHED October 2026
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Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference will focus on next steps for the planning system and housebuilding in England.
With the Government recently consulting on the new draft National Planning Policy Framework, and with measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 aimed at speeding up housing delivery, reforming planning processes and strengthening regional decision-making, the conference will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss implementation at local, regional and national levels as reform moves from policy into delivery.
The agenda will consider implications of measures for system coordination, developer certainty, statutory consultee responsibilities and community input, as well as the capacity of planning authorities and the integration of design, infrastructure, and environmental objectives.
National Planning Policy Framework & wider planning reform
With the Government’s consultation response on the draft NPPF expected this Summer, sessions will examine implementation of key measures, including revised policy approaches to development location, provisions relating to housing near existing railway stations and major infrastructure assets, changes to density expectations, and updated policy treatment of brownfield land, the Grey Belt, rural areas and the Green Belt.
Discussion will explore the wide impact of the revised Framework, including early experience of land value capture mechanisms, the effect of Section 106 reform on developer contributions, and the introduction of new requirements for medium‑sized housing sites. It will be an opportunity to assess how these changes are affecting scheme viability, density and pace of delivery, as well as practicalities for the interpretation of new measures and the potential scope for legal challenges to developments.
Stakeholders will also consider the impact of transitioning towards new duties on short-term housing output and development costs, alongside concerns around borrowing costs caused by ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and emerging priorities ahead of the Autumn Budget 2026 and the scope for further legislative options to streamline housing delivery.
Spatial Development Strategies, local plan reform, governance & coordination
Sessions will explore how SDSs are being taken forward on the ground in operation together with local plans. This includes how responsibilities are being scoped and exercised, how strategic and local priorities are being aligned, and what effective models of practice are emerging for coordination and co‑development between planning authorities and partners, as well as governance and resourcing across different areas.
Practicalities for operation of the proposed local plan system will also be assessed, including the Gateway process, consultation requirements, and feasibility and enforcement of the 30-month timetable for plan preparation. Delegates will also explore how new processes can be delivered to ensure consistency across local authority boundaries, as well as assessing the impact of reform on Local Planning Authority capacity with concerns from some around workforce capacity and skills shortages.
Further discussion is expected on wider implications of devolution and local government reorganisation, looking at the role of strategic authorities and new unitary structures, coordination with developers, infrastructure providers, and communities to support large-scale regeneration projects, as well as use of Mayoral Development Orders and development corporation powers introduced under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.
Housing mix & practical delivery
Attendees will also consider how proposed reform can best support housebuilding ambitions, and take into account considerations for stakeholders across the development sector. Discussion is expected on capital funding through the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, priorities for the New Homes Accelerator, the role of a Brownfield Passport, implications for small and medium sites and SME housebuilders, priorities for securing a diverse mix of housing, and aligning delivery with jobs, public services and public spaces.
Implications of reform for rural communities and businesses will also be addressed, including changes affecting Rural Exception Sites in the NPPF and opportunities to support appropriate growth in less urban areas.
Nature recovery & environmental protection
The agenda will also look at the way forward for embedding sustainability and nature recovery within the reformed planning system, with a particular focus on how environmental requirements are being delivered in practice alongside development. Sessions will examine early experience from the rollout of Environmental Delivery Plans and the operation of the Nature Restoration Fund, alongside the integration of Biodiversity Net Gain requirements and local nature recovery priorities into development and land management, including initial evidence and expectations for environmental outcomes.
Discussion will consider how bodies such as Natural England are implementing these, and ways forward for ensuring proportionality across different site sizes and contexts, such as small residential and brownfield schemes. Delegates will assess emerging approaches to monitoring, reporting and long‑term stewardship, alongside initial impacts on site viability, land value and development density as nature recovery mechanisms become embedded. Discussion on models for coordination with farmers, rural landowners, and environmental NGOs is also expected.
Design, energy efficiency & building standards
Sessions will assess progress in embedding high‑quality design, placemaking and sustainability following the expected publication of updated Design and Placemaking Planning Practice Guidance. Discussion will explore how design expectations are practically embedded, including interaction between national standards, local design codes and site‑specific considerations.
The agenda will also examine preparation for new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards and low‑carbon requirements under the Future Homes Standard, including implications for construction costs, viability and delivery. Further discussion will consider alignment with building safety requirements and regulatory oversight, alongside sector readiness in terms of skills, capacity and supply‑chain capability, and practicalities of enforcement as reform moves from policy into delivery.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Building Safety Regulator; Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs; HM Revenue and Customs; and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
