Policy

The Policy section provides access to the chief planning legislation produced by the government as well as other planning related documents, reports and statistics.

What's New

• View the latest planning policy documents.

Planning Reform

The government is committed to an ambitious planning reform agenda.

The reform programme includes the 'Planning for a Sustainable Future: White Paper', the 'Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act', changes to secondary legislation, reviews of planning policy guidance and a change in culture for the whole of the planning system.

• Learn more about the planning reform process here

Planning policy, legislation and guidance

If you want to refer to the legal or central government policy background to the present system of town and country planning in England:

• Circulars
• Legislation
• Parliamentary Statements
• Planning Policy Guidance & Statements (PPG/PPS)
• Regional Planning Guidance & Spatial Strategy (RPG/RSS)
• Good Practice Guidance (GPG)
• Minerals Policy & Guidance (MPG/MPS)
• Marine Minerals Guidance (MMG)

Building Regulations

Legislation and technical documents for Building regulations are available in a seperate section of the site:

• Legislation
• Technical Guidance
• Building Regulations Home Page