New Legislation – the Local Planning Regulations 2026 (25/03/2026) …

The following 1 new Statutory Instrument (SI) comes into force on 25/03/2026:

New Legislation:

  • March 2026: SI 2026 No. 186 - The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026 (pdf) (link).

Notes:

  • The above SI 2026 No. 186 supersedes the following SI:
    - The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (link).
  • Note: The "Explanatory Memorandum" (link) to the above SI 2026 No. 186 includes the following information:
    - "This Statutory Instrument [SI 2026 No. 186] sets out the process and steps that a local planning authority must take when preparing a local plan or a supplementary plan. It also sets out the steps a minerals and waste planning authority must take when preparing a minerals and waste plan document or a supplementary plan, and the Mayor of London must take when preparing a supplementary plan. This instrument [SI 2026 No. 186] revokes and supersedes the equivalent 2012 plan-making regulations [The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012] [SI 2012 No. 767], which in turn superseded the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 [SI 2004 No. 2204], which came into force shortly after Royal Assent of the [Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004].".
  • Note: For more information about the above SI 2026 No. 186, please view paragraphs 5.13-5.82 within the above "Explanatory Memorandum".
  • Note: For information about future amendments to the above SI 2026 No. 186 (which will be made "soon afterwards" / "in due course"), please view paragraphs 11.1-11.3 within the above "Explanatory Memorandum".
  • Note: For information about "Transitional provisions", please view regulation 91 and the Schedule of the above SI 2026 No. 186, and please also view the following SI:
    - The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Commencement No. 11 and Saving and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026 (link).

Other Sources of Information:

  • July 2023: Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill - consultation on implementation of plan-making reforms (link) (pdf print version of HTML webpage).
    - Note: For more information about the above document, please view this post.
  • February 2025: Government press release - "Planning overhaul to speed up and simplify local plans" (link).
  • February 2025: Government response to the proposed plan-making reforms - consultation on implementation (link) (pdf print version of HTML webpage).
    - Note: For more information about the above document, please view this post.
  • March 2026: Government press release - "New plan-making system - regulations and content roadmap" (link).
  • March 2026: MHCLG guidance - "Roadmap of resources and support - new local plan-making system" (link).
  • March 2026: Explanatory Memorandum to SI 2026 No. 169 and SI 2026 No. 170 and SI 2026 No. 186 and SI 2026 No. 187 and SI 2026 No. 188 (pdf) (link).

Updates to the Planning Jungle website: