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Planning Act 2008

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

Please note:

All reference to 'Parts' and 'sections' are from the Planning Act 2008. For other versions of these Explanatory Notes, see More Resources.

  1. Introduction

  2. Summary

    1. Part 1

    2. Part 2

    3. Part 3

    4. Part 4

    5. Part 5

    6. Part 6

    7. Part 7

    8. Part 8

    9. Part 9

    10. Part 10

    11. Part 11

    12. Part 12

  3. Background

  4. Structure of the Act

  5. Territorial Extent

  6. Commentary

    1. Part 1: the Infrastructure Planning Commission

      1. Section 1 and Schedule 1: The Infrastructure Planning Commission

    2. Schedule 1

    3. Schedule 1, Paragraph 1: Membership, chair and deputies

    4. Schedule 1, Paragraph 2: Terms of Appointment

    5. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 3 and 4: Tenure

    6. Schedule 1, Paragraph 5: Remuneration of Commissioners

    7. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 6 to 10: Council

    8. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 11 to 13: Chief executive and staff

    9. Schedule 1, Paragraph 14: Arrangements for assistance

    10. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 15 and 16: Delegation

    11. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 17 and 18: Reports

    12. Schedule 1, Paragraph 19: Funding

    13. Schedule 1, Paragraph 20: Accounts

    14. Schedule 1, Paragraph 21: Status

    15. Schedule 1, Paragraph 22: validity of proceedings

    16. Schedule 1, Paragraph 23: Application of seal and proof of instruments

    17. Schedule 1, Paragraph 24: Parliamentary Commissioner

    18. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 25 and 26: Disqualification/Public records

    19. Schedule 1, Paragraph 27:

      1. Section 2, Code of conduct

      2. Section 3: Register of Commissioners’ interests

      3. Section 4: Fees

    20. Part 2: National Policy Statements

      1. Section 5: National Policy Statements

      2. Section 6: Review

      3. Sections 7, 8 and 9: Consultation and publicity/Consultation on publicity requirements/Parliamentary requirements

      4. Section 10: Sustainable development

      5. Section 11: Suspension pending review

      6. Section 12 Pre-commencement statements of policy, consultation etc

      7. Section 13: Legal challenges relating to national policy statements

    21. Part 3: Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects

      1. Section 14: Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: General

      2. Section 15: Generating Stations

      3. Section 16: Electric lines

      4. Section 17: Underground gas storage

      5. Sections 18 and 19: LNG facilities/ Gas reception facilities

      6. Section 20: Gas transporter pipe-lines

      7. Section 21: Other pipe-lines

      8. Section 22: Highways

      9. Section 23: Airports

      10. Section 24: Harbour facilities

      11. Sections 25 and 26: Railways and Rail Freight interchanges

      12. Sections 27 and 28: Dams and reservoirs and transfers of water resources

      13. Section 29: Waste water treatment plants

      14. Section 30: Hazardous waste facility

    22. Part 4: Requirement for Development Consent

      1. Section 31: When development consent is required

      2. Section 32: Meaning of “development”

      3. Section 33: Effect of requirement for development consent on other consent regimes

      4. Section 34: Welsh offshore generating stations

      5. Section 35: Directions in relation to projects of national significance

      6. Section 36 and Schedule 2: Amendments consequential on development consent regime

    23. Part 5: Applications for Orders Granting Development Consent

    24. Part 5, Chapter 1 – Applications

      1. Section 37: Applications for order granting development consent

      2. Sections 38: Model provisions

      3. Section 39: Register of applications

      4. Section 40: Applications by Crown for orders granting development consent

    25. Part 5, Chapter 2 – Pre-application procedure

      1. Section 41: Chapter applies before application is made

      2. Sections 42 to 44: Duty to consult etc.

      3. Section 45: Timetable for consultation under section 42

      4. Section 46: Duty to notify Commission of proposed application

      5. Section 47: Duty to consult local community

      6. Section 48: Duty to publicise

      7. Section 49: Duty to take account of responses to consultation and publicity

      8. Section 50: Guidance about pre-application procedure

    26. Part 5, Chapter 3 – Assistance for applicants and others

      1. Section 51: Advice for potential applicants and others

      2. Section 52: Obtaining information about interests in land

      3. Sections 53 and 54: Rights of entry and Crown land

    27. Part 6: Deciding Applications for Orders Granting Development Consent

    28. Part 6, Chapter 1 –Handling of application by the Commission

      1. Section 55 – Acceptance of applications

      2. Sections 56 and 57 – Notifying persons of accepted application/Categories for purposes of section 56(2)(d)

      3. Section 58 – Certifying compliance with section 56

      4. Section 59: Notice of persons interested in land to which compulsory acquisition relates

      5. Section 60: Local impact report

      6. Section 61: Initial choice of Panel or single Commissioner

      7. Section 62: Switching from single Commissioner to Panel

      8. Section 63: Delegation of functions by person appointed to chair Commission

    29. Part 6, Chapter 2: The Panel Procedure

      1. Section 64: Panel for each application to be handled under this Chapter

      2. Section 65: Appointment of members, and lead member, of Panel

      3. Section 66: Ceasing to be member, or lead member, of Panel

      4. Section 67: Panel member continuing though ceasing to be Commissioner

      5. Section 68: Additional appointments to Panel

      6. Section 69: Replacement of lead member of Panel

      7. Section 70: Membership of Panel where application relates to land in Wales

      8. Section 71: Supplementary provision where Panel replaces single Commissioner

      9. Section 72: Panel ceasing to have any members

      10. Section 73: Consequences of changes in Panel

      11. Section 74: Panel to decide, or make recommendation in respect of, application

      12. Section 75: Decision-making by the Panel

      13. Section 76: Allocation within Panel of Panel’s functions

      14. Section 77: Exercise of Panel’s powers for examining application

    30. Part 6, Chapter 3: The single Commissioner Procedure

      1. Section 78: Single Commissioner to handle application

      2. Section 79: Appointment of single Commissioner

      3. Section 80: Ceasing to be the single Commissioner

      4. Section 81: Single Commissioner continuing though ceasing to be Commissioner

      5. Section 82: Appointment of replacement single Commissioner

      6. Sections 83 and 84: single Commissioner to examine and report on application/report from single Commissioner to be referred to Council

      7. Section 85: Decisions made by the Council on the application

    31. Part 6, Chapter 4: Examination of applications under Chapter 2 or 3

      1. Section 86: Chapter applies to examination by Panel or single Commissioner

      2. Section 87: Examining authority to control examination of application

      3. Section 88: Initial assessment of issues and preliminary meeting

      4. Section 89: Examining authority’s decisions about how application is to be examined

      5. Section 90: Written representations

      6. Section 91: Hearings about specific issues

      7. Section 92: Compulsory acquisition hearings

      8. Section 93: Open-floor hearings

      9. Section 94: Hearings: general provisions

      10. Section 95: Hearings: disruption, supervision and costs

      11. Section 96: Representations not made orally may be made in writing

      12. Section 97: Procedure rules

      13. Section 98: Timetable for examining, and reporting on, application

      14. Section 99: Completion of Examining authority’s examination of application

      15. Section 100: Assessors

      16. Section 101: Legal advice and assistance

      17. Section 102: Interpretation of Chapter 4: “interested party” and other expressions

    32. Part 6, Chapter 5: Decisions on applications

      1. Section 103: Cases where Secretary of State is, and meaning of, decision-maker

      2. Section 104: Decisions of Panel and Council

      3. Section 105: Decisions of Secretary of State

      4. Section 106: Matters that may be disregarded when deciding application

      5. Section 107: Timetable for decisions

    33. Part 6, Chapter 6: Suspension of decision-making process

      1. Section 108: Suspension during review of national policy statement

    34. Part 6, Chapter 7: Intervention by Secretary of State

      1. Sections 109, 110, 111 and 112: Intervention: significant change in circumstances/ Intervention: defence and national security / Intervention: other circumstances/ Power of Secretary of State to intervene

      2. Section 113: Effect of intervention

    35. Part 6, Chapter 8: Grant or refusal

      1. Sections 114 and 115: Grant or refusal of development consent/ development for which development consent may be granted/ reasons for decision/ formalities for orders

    36. Part 6, Chapter 9: Legal challenges

      1. Section 118: Legal challenges relating to applications for orders granting development consent

    37. Part 6, Chapter 10: Correction of errors

      1. Section 119 and Schedule 4: Correction of errors in development consent decisions

    38. Schedule 4

    39. Schedule 4, Paragraph 1: Correction of errors

    40. Schedule 4, Paragraph 2: Correction notice

    41. Schedule 4, Paragraph 3: Effect of a correction

    42. Part 7: Orders Granting Development Consent

    43. Part 7, Chapter 1: Content of development consent orders

      1. Section 120: What may be included in order granting development consent

      2. Schedule 5: Provision relating to, or to matters ancillary to, development

      3. Section 121: Proposed exercise of powers in relation to legislation

      4. Section 122: Purpose for which compulsory acquisition may be authorised

      5. Section 123: Land to which authorisation of compulsory acquisition can relate

      6. Section 124: Guidance about authorisation of compulsory acquisition

      7. Section 125: Application of compulsory acquisition provisions

      8. Section 126: Compensation for compulsory acquisition

      9. Section 127: Statutory undertakers’ land

      10. Sections 128 and 129: Local authority and statutory undertakers’ land: general / Local authority and statutory undertakers’ land: acquisition by public body

      11. Section 130: National Trust land

      12. Section 131: Commons, open spaces etc: compulsory acquisition of land

      13. Section 132: Commons, open spaces etc: compulsory acquisition of rights over land

      14. Section 133: Rights in connection with underground gas storage facilities

      15. Section 134: Notice of authorisation of compulsory acquisition

      16. Section 135: Orders: Crown land

      17. Section 136: Public rights of way

      18. Section 137: Public rights of way: statutory undertakers’ apparatus etc.

      19. Section 138: Extinguishment of rights, and removal of apparatus, of statutory undertakers etc.

      20. Section 139: Common land and rights of common

      21. Section 140: Operation of generating stations

      22. Section 141: Keeping electric lines installed above ground

      23. Section 142: Use of underground gas storage facilities

      24. Section 143: Diversion of watercourses

      25. Section 144: Highways

      26. Section 145: Harbours

      27. Section 146: Discharge of water

      28. Section 147: Development of Green Belt land

      29. Section 148: Deemed consent under section 34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949

      30. Section 149: Deemed licences under Part 2 of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985

      31. Section 150: Removal of consent requirements

      32. Section 151: Liability under existing regimes

      33. Section 152: Compensation in case where no right to claim in nuisance

      34. Chapter 2: Changes to, and revocation of, orders granting development consent

        1. Section 153 & Schedule 6: Changes to, and revocations of, orders granting development consent

    44. Schedule 6

    45. Schedule 6, Paragraph 1: Preliminary

    46. Schedule 6, Paragraph 2: Non-material changes

    47. Schedule 6, Paragraph 3: Changes to, and revocation of, orders granting development consent

    48. Schedule 6, Paragraphs 4 and 5: Changes to, and revocation of, orders: supplementary

    49. Schedule 5, Paragraphs 6 and 7: Compensation

    50. Part 7, Chapter 3: General

      1. Section 154: Duration of order granting development consent

      2. Section 155: When development begins

      3. Section 156: Benefit of order granting development consent

      4. Section 157: Use of buildings in respect of which development consent granted

      5. Section 158: Nuisance: statutory authority

      6. Section 159: Interpretation: rights over land

    51. Part 8: Enforcement

      1. Section 160: Offence: development without development consent

      2. Section 161: Offence: breach of terms of order granting development consent

      3. Section 162: Time limits

      4. Section 163: Right to enter without warrant

      5. Section 164: Right to enter under warrant

      6. Section 165: Rights of entry: supplementary provisions

      7. Section 166: Rights of entry: Crown land

      8. Section 167: Power to require information

      9. Section 168: Offences relating to information notices

      10. Section 169: Notice of unauthorised development

      11. Section 170: Execution of works required by unauthorised development notice

      12. Section 171: Injunctions

      13. Section 172: Isles of Scilly

      14. Section 173: The relevant local planning authority

    52. Part 9: Changes to Existing Planning Regimes

    53. Part 9, Chapter 1: Changes related to development consent regime

      1. Sections 174: Planning obligations

      2. Sections 175 and 176: Blighted land: England and Wales / Blighted land: Scotland

      3. Section 177: Grants for advice and assistance: England and Wales

      4. Section 178: Grants for advice and assistance: Scotland

    54. Part 9, Chapter 2: Other changes to existing planning regimes

      1. Section 179: Delegation of functions of regional planning bodies

      2. Section 180: Local development documents

      3. Section 181: Regional spatial strategies: climate change policies

      4. Section 182: Development plan documents: climate change policies

      5. Section 183: Good design

      6.  Section 184: Correction of errors in decisions

      7. Section 185: Power of High Court to remit strategies, plans and documents

      8. Section 186: Power of High Court to remit unitary development plans in Wales

      9. Section 187 and Schedule 7: Power to decline to determine applications: amendments

      10. Section 188: Local development orders: removal of requirement to implement policies

      11. Section 189: Compensation where development order or local development order withdrawn

      12. Section 190: Power to make non-material changes to planning permission

      13. Section 191: Validity of orders, decisions and directions

      14. Section 192 and Schedule 8: Tree preservation orders

      15. Section 193: Existing tree preservation orders: transitional provision

      16. Section 194 and Schedule 9: Use of land: power to override easements and other rights

      17. Section 195: Applications and appeals by statutory undertakers

      18. Section 196 and Schedule 10: Determination of procedure for certain proceedings

      19. Section 197 and Schedule 11: Appeals: miscellaneous amendments

      20. Section 198: Appeals relating to old mining permissions

      21. Section 199: Fees for planning applications etc.

      22. Section 200: Fees for appeals

      23. Section 201: Meaning of “local authority” in planning Acts

    55. Part 10: Wales

      1. Section 202: Powers of National Assembly for Wales

      2. Section 203: Power to make provision in relation to Wales

      3. Section 204: Wales: transitional provision in relation to blighted land

    56. Part 11: Community Infrastructure Levy

      1. Section 205: The levy

      2. Section 206: The charge

      3. Section 207: Joint committees

      4. Section 208: Liability and Section 209: Liability: interpretation of key terms

      5. Section 210: Charities

      6. Section 211: Amount

      7. Section 212: Charging schedule: examination

      8. Section 213 Charging schedule: approval

      9. Section 214: Charging schedule: effect

      10. Section 215: Appeals

      11. Section 216: Application

      12. Section 217: Collection

      13. Section 218: Enforcement

      14. Section 219: Compensation

      15. Section 220: Community Infrastructure Levy: procedure

      16. Section 221: Secretary of State

      17. Section 222: Regulations and orders: general

      18. Section 223:  Relationship with other powers

      19. Section 224: Community Infrastructure Levy: amendments

      20. Section 225: Community Infrastructure Levy: repeals

    57. Part 12: Final Provisions

      1. Section 226: The Crown

      2. Section 227: “Crown land” and “the appropriate Crown authority”

      3. Section 228: Enforcement in relation to the Crown and Parliament

      4. Section 229: Service of notices: general

      5. Section 230: Service of documents to persons interested in or occupying premises

      6. Section 231: Service of notices on the Crown and Parliament

      7. Sections 232-242: Additional provisions, including commencement

  7. Hansard References

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

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Explanatory Notes

Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.

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