[UPDATE: For a subsequent further consultation, please view this post.]

The government has published the following Working Paper, which "invites views" relating to how different site sizes should be treated within the planning system:

Consultation document:

• May 2025: Planning Reform Working Paper - Reforming Site Thresholds (pdf) (link).

Notes:

• The "Summary" at the start of the above document includes the following information:
  - "This working paper seeks views on reforming site size thresholds in the planning system to better support housing delivery on different types of sites. This means taking a gradated approach to the system as a whole - removing and streamlining disproportionate requirements on small and medium sites, while maintaining and strengthening requirements on major development. It explores how different site sizes should be treated within the planning system and considers the case for removing barriers specific to developers in this part of the sector.".
  - "The paper primarily explores the simplification of planning requirements for the smallest of sites and the introduction of a medium-sized site threshold within the planning system - in recognition of the particular needs of this scale of development. These changes aim to provide certainty to the sector, ensure the planning system is more targeted and proportionate across different scales of development, and help small and medium builders (SMEs) deliver the homes our communities need. This supports a key objective of our Long-Term Housing Strategy to diversify the housing market and deliver a reformed housebuilding system, which will be set out in full later this year.".
  - "A series of questions are posed at the end of the paper to inform ongoing discussions with the sector before determining next steps.".
• Note: The webpage (link) for the above consultation document includes the following information:
  - "Please note that this is not a formal consultation and is instead intended to inform discussions with the sector, to determine whether and how to take these proposals forward. Alongside these discussions, we welcome responses to the series of questions that are posed at the end of the paper. Please note that we have set a deadline for responses to be submitted to this working paper by 9 July 2025.".
• Note: The above consultation document is shown on the "Collection - Planning Reform Working Papers" page (link).

Other sources of information:

• May 2025: Government press release - "Government backs SME builders to get Britain building" (link).