Weekly planning news

Planning committee unanimously reject Birmingham scheme, which was recommended for approval three times

Birmingham City Council has rejected a major redevelopment plan - submitted by developer Hammerson - which would replace the Bullring Indoor Market with a mixed-use scheme. This rejection comes despite three separate recommendations by officers.

The scheme, which would have delivered up to 745 homes or 1,544 student beds, along with commercial space, was set to replace the Bullring Indoor Market on a key city centre site next to the Bullring shopping centre.

The main sticking point for councillors was concern over the future of the existing indoor market. While officers argued that the developer had made 'notable progress' with recent amendments to the application - including a lease extension and plans for a temporary market site nearby - committee members said they were not convinced there were firm guarantees that the market would be properly re-provided.

They therefore unanimously refused the application, citing these lack of guarantees on market re-provision.

According to Planning Resource¹, officer’s most recent report on the application, officers said ‘there are no reasonable grounds upon which this application could be refused or delayed further and therefore the application is still recommended for approval as per the original report’.

Planning officers found the scheme would bring significant benefits, including new housing and a £4.2 million affordable housing contribution, and noted progress on plans to temporarily rehouse the market.

Hammerson called the decision “deeply frustrating” and said it is reviewing its next steps.

This decision comes amid the ongoing government consultation on planning committee reform.²

Government introduce £5,000 per MW community payback for onshore wind schemes

The government has updated guidance on community projects for large-scale onshore wind schemes, setting an expectation that developers pay £5,000 per megawatt (MW) of installed capacity, per year, to local communities for the operational lifetime of each project.

Guidance published last week explains that most onshore wind projects of five megawatts or more will be expected to provide ‘community benefits’ to host communities. The ‘expectation’ is set at no less than £5,000 per MW of installed capacity per year – and can be delivered in cash, in kind, or via a mixture of both.

The guidance could be seen to imply the expectation is ‘mandatory’, but Planning ³has confirmed that the scheme is in fact voluntary - although a representative from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has said that a mandatory community benefit scheme for low-carbon infrastructure, including onshore wind, is still under consideration.⁴

The guidance, which can be found here⁵, underlines best practice for community engagement. It encourages early and proportionate engagement with local communities, tailored to the scale and stage of the project. Developers are advised to clearly outline their approach to community benefits and consider appointing dedicated liaison officers to support discussions.

It also highlights the need to separate community benefit negotiations from the planning process. Community benefits are not considered material planning considerations and cannot influence planning decisions.

Some projects are exempt from the expectation, including single turbine schemes, community energy projects, and those majority-owned by local residents.

New planning inspectorate appeals service will be rolled out will deal with the ‘vast majority’ of all appeals

The Planning Inspectorate has confirmed that its new digital appeals service will be rolled out to all local authorities nationally by the end of the year.

Designed to streamline how planning appeals are submitted and managed, the new online system will be available to every local authority in England by December 2025. The service aims to simplify the process for both applicants and local planning authorities (LPAs), replacing many paper-based steps and offering a centralised, user-friendly dashboard to help LPAs track and manage cases.

Initially piloted with seven local authorities - including five London boroughs - the system currently supports householder and written representation planning appeals. Gloucestershire County Council and Gosport Borough Council recently joined the pilot, with more authorities expected to follow before the wider rollout begins in December.

According to a webinar presentation shared by PINS, the service is set to expand further in phases. From June to August, it will begin to include appeals handled by hearings and listed building appeals. Between September and March 2026, the platform will also cover inquiries, commercial and advertising appeals, enforcement cases, and lawful development certificate appeals.

The Planning Inspectorate said the phased rollout approach is designed to ensure a “smooth transition” for all authorities and users, with more information to be made available after the summer. 

Once fully implemented, the system will handle the vast majority of case types.

1. https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1924723/members-unanimously-reject-745-home-city-centre-scheme-officers-recommended-approval-three-times
2. https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reform-of-planning-committees-technical-consultation
3. https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1924592/developers-large-onshore-wind-schemes-expected-pay-local-residents-5k-per-mw-generated
4. https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1924592/developers-large-onshore-wind-schemes-expected-pay-local-residents-5k-per-mw-generated
5. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686782a3e134dfbc2e9e6d8a/community-benefits-guidance-for-onshore-wind-in-england.pdf