Sedgemoor is the latest area of Somerset to declare housing land supply figures are now at critical levels. This means the authorities will be required to grant planning permission unless a proposal unacceptably affects certain protected areas or assets, or where the harms ‘significantly and demonstrably’ outweigh the benefits.

The government has long promoted the role of pre-application advice. But is it worth it? We discuss.

Mandatory house building targets are the headline announcement in the long-awaited revised National Planning Policy Framework.