POS writes innovative publications to influence the future shape of the planning system and to share best practice.

Download the latest POS manifesto to lobby government, good practice advice notes, responses to government consultations and more.

POS Manifesto

Our Manifesto calls for a series of targeted changes and refinements to the planning system to ensure that it is optimised to do its job as effectively and efficiently as possible.

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S106 Agreements + COVID-19

12 June 2020
This guidance is intended to give some help to local planning authorities in responding to requests to re-negotiate agreements and in processing new applications. Read more

Good practice

DM Decision Making + COVID-19: How to manage committee decisions during the Coronavirus Emergency

30 April 2020
With the current COVID-19 restrictions, planning committees have been cancelled. This position is likely to persist for some time so not determining those applications until the pandemic is over is not really an option. MHCLG’s Chief Planner, Steve Quartermain, in his recent letter has also urged the sector to keep the planning system operating as much as we can in these difficult times. This guidance note looks at what DM services can do to deal with decisions on planning applications that would ordinarily be taken by committee. Our advice is to reduce the number of cases going to committee as these take up resources that will dwindle as the pandemic takes further hold on the population. This means an increase in applications being determined under delegated powers but those cases that usually would have gone to committee probably need a different delegated procedure to normal to recognise the change. We set out an approach to achieving that. New Regulations from government will shortly allow virtual committees to be held. Advice on how to make these work is also included  Read more

Good practice

Strategic Applications: moving from a Development Team Service to a Design Team Service to deliver good design

23 February 2020
Delivering good design has risen up MHCLG’s agenda. The gauntlet has been thrown down by government: they want the planning system to consistently deliver good design. We need to rise to that challenge. This guidance note shows you how to do that. Read more

Good practice

Making the planning system more flexible: advice to LPAs on optimising flexibility

23 February 2020
Following the Finney judgement in the High Court in November 2019, the need to allow for flexibility in how you handle planning applications is as important as ever. POS has republished its guidance first contained as an appendix to Manifesto 6 (From concept to construction: making the system more flexible) published in February 2016 as a separate guidance note. Read more

Good practice

Writing spatial plans guidance

12 January 2019
A guide to writing the policy content of Local Development Documents  Read more

Good practice

Permission in Principle Briefing Note

02 February 2018
The Society has issued a briefing note folowing an informal discussion with DCLG re the introduction of Permission in Principle by application which is coming in June 2018. Read more

Good practice

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