The government has published the following consultation, which runs for 12 weeks from 25/07/2023 until 18/10/2023:

Consultation document:

• July 2023: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill - consultation on implementation of plan-making reforms (link) (pdf print version of HTML webpage).

Notes:

• The "Overview" at the start of the above consultation document includes the following information:
  - "Local plans, and minerals and waste plans, (referred to here as 'plans') are produced by planning authorities (local authorities with responsibility for preparing these plans) to guide and manage development in their areas. They are important documents for local communities because they set the development framework for the area, usually for the next 10 or 15 years. Plans allocate sites for development, set out what land should be protected and contain planning policies, which are the basis for deciding whether to approve planning applications that are subsequently made, including by housing developers and by home owners.".
  [...]
  - "Our vision is for plans to be simpler to understand and use, and positively shaped by the views of communities about how their area should evolve. We want them to clearly show what is planned in a local area – so that communities and other users of the plan can engage with them more easily, especially while they are being drawn up. We want them to be prepared more quickly and updated more frequently to ensure more planning authorities have up-to-date plans that reflect local needs. And we want them to make the best use of new digital technology, so that people can get involved without having to go through hundreds of pages of documents at council offices and to drive improved productivity and efficiency in the plan-making process.".
  - "There will be a requirement for planning authorities to start updating their plans within 5 years of the adoption of their previous plan. Updates will be subject to full consultation and examination to make sure plans remain relevant and can take account of any changes locally.".
  - "Finally, we have also proposed new protections from speculative development. As set out in our recent consultation: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: reforms to national planning policy, we have proposed removal of the requirement for planning authorities with an up-to-date plan to demonstrate continually a deliverable 5-year housing land supply. This would provide a strong incentive for authorities to update local plans on a more rolling basis, every five years, to avoid the need to undertake five year housing land supply assessments.".
  - "The Levelling up and Regeneration Bill sets out changes to the legislation that governs how plans are produced. Through this consultation, we are asking for your views on certain proposals to implement these changes, to make plans simpler, faster to prepare and more accessible. The Bill is currently undergoing Parliamentary scrutiny and our proposals are subject to the Bill receiving Royal Assent.".