A Faster, Clearer Future for Planning: Understanding the New Local Plan Regulations
- David Maddox
- Nov 28, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Key Takeaways
England's new plan-making system streamlines local plan regulations, speeds up plan preparation and improves clarity as part of wider local plan reforms.
The planning landscape in England is evolving, with new local plan regulations promising a faster, simpler, more accessible process. Recent government guidance supports this shift, reflecting wider local plan reforms introduced through the Levelling‑Up and Regeneration Act 2023 and related changes geared towards speeding up the plan-making process.
At the heart of these reforms is the new plan-making system, which aims to provide greater certainty, clarity and consistency for local planning authorities, communities and developers alike.
A Clearer Timetable Under the New Plan-Making System
A key feature of the new plan-making system is a clear expectation on local planning authorities to prepare and adopt local plans within a roughly 30-month timeframe. This represents a substantial acceleration compared with the often long and drawn-out processes of the past.
By introducing clearer milestones and expectations, the government intends to reduce delays and ensure local plans remain up to date and effective.
Simpler, More Accessible Local Plans
Alongside changes to timescales, updated guidance encourages use of digital tools, data-driven mapping and simpler, more readable plans. These local plan regulations are intended to make planning policies easier to understand, navigate and engage with, particularly for residents and other non-technical users.
Clearer presentation is seen as a key part of improving transparency and public engagement in plan-making.
The Role of Policies Maps in Local Plan Reforms
One important tool under the updated local plan regulations is the requirement for a “policies map”. This is a geographic map that clearly shows how plan policies apply across a local area, enabling residents, developers and stakeholders to see exactly where different planning restrictions or designations apply.
As part of wider local plan reforms, policies maps are intended to reduce ambiguity and support more informed decision-making.
Moving Away from Older Plan-Making Practices
The reforms also mark a departure from older approaches to plan preparation. Notably, the statutory “duty to cooperate” between neighbouring authorities is being scrapped and replaced with a more flexible and streamlined approach.
In essence, the new plan-making system aims to reduce duplication, cut delays and deliver local plans that better reflect current housing needs, environmental priorities and community ambitions.
For anyone involved in planning, development or local policy: this is a moment of opportunity. Faster timetables, clearer maps and online tools should make the plan-making process more transparent and accessible and ultimately bring more certainty for communities, councils and developers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new local plan-making system?
The new local plan-making system sets out a revised approach to preparing local plans in England, with clearer requirements, faster timetables and a stronger focus on accessibility and digital delivery.
Why have local plan reforms been introduced?
Local plan reforms have been introduced to address delays and complexity in the existing system, helping to ensure local plans are prepared more quickly and remain up to date.
What changes do the new local plan regulations introduce?
The new local plan regulations introduce clearer plan-making stages, a roughly 30-month timeframe for adoption and requirements for simpler, more transparent policy presentation.
What is a policies map and why is it important?
A policies map is a geographic map showing how planning policies apply across a local authority area, helping users clearly understand where specific designations or constraints apply.
How will the new local plan-making system affect local planning authorities?
The new local plan-making system places clearer expectations on local planning authorities to prepare plans efficiently, use digital tools and take greater ownership of timely plan preparation.
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