Weekly planning news
Planning news - 22 January 2026
Chinese ‘super-embassy’ approved for London
The housing secretary’s decision to approve a new large Chinese embassy in the UK capital - a project some are dubbing a ‘super-embassy’ - has been met with a range of responses and reactions.
Planning permission was first sought in July of 2024 for 20,000 square metres of embassy building, which would make it the biggest in Europe, according to Planning1.
Identical plans were originally refused in December 2022 by local councillors over ‘safety and heritage’ concerns. Indeed, concerns have also been raised from members of parliament across the political spectrum, citing security and espionage risks.
Steve Reed’s new decision, to approve the embassy, was issued on 20 January, agreeing with an inspector’s decision, that “any ethical or similar objection to the provision of an embassy for a specific country cannot be a material planning consideration. It would not be lawful”,
According to the Guardian2, security services have confirmed they do not have significant security concerns about the embassy. The Guardian3 also reported that top officials at MI5 and GCHQ have confirmed that ‘intelligence agencies had been able “to formulate a package of national security mitigations”, by working with officials across government, that was “expert, professional and proportionate”.
The approval brings an end to a long-running and contentious planning process, but it is unlikely to close down debate entirely. While ministers and security agencies have sought to reassure critics that risks have been carefully managed within the bounds of planning law, the scale and symbolism of the development mean it will continue to attract political, diplomatic and public scrutiny.
Decision to reject 100-home green belt project near listed church ruled ‘unlawful’
The housing ministry has accepted that a planning inspector acted unlawfully in rejecting plans for 100 homes on green belt land because of heritage impacts, according to Planning4.
The ministry said the decision should be reconsidered, as the site may still meet the criteria for the new grey belt designation under national planning policy.
The proposal was originally refused by South Staffordshire Council, following officer advice that the development would harm the setting of a listed church. The applicant appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, but the inspector upheld the council’s decision and dismissed the appeal.
The applicant then launched a legal challenge. Lord Charles Banner KC has since stated on social media that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government agreed the inspector’s approach to grey belt policy - and the resulting refusal - was 'unlawful'.
The case will now be sent back to the Planning Inspectorate to be re-examined.
Major Windermere national park development put on hold
Plans for a major development in the Lake District National Park have been halted after it emerged the scheme could not meet the timescales required to secure government funding for associated highways work.
According to the BBC5, The Windermere Gateway Project, proposed for the Orrest Head Farm site near Bowness-on-Windermere, aimed to support tourism growth, create jobs and deliver affordable housing in the Windermere area.
However, the leader of Westmorland and Furness Council, told cabinet members that the housing element of the scheme could not proceed quickly enough to meet the deadline set by Homes England for grant funding.
The council had previously agreed a £9.95m funding deal with Homes England to support highways improvements linked to the development. That agreement will now not be taken forward.
The project is a partnership between the council, the National Trust, the Lake District National Park Authority and a housing developer.
In a joint statement, the partners said a number of challenges had recently affected the project’s deliverability but stressed they remained “fully committed” to the Windermere Gateway ambitions. They added that further updates would be shared with stakeholders and the local community once more was known.
Government unveils 'warm homes plan'
The UK government has published the long-awaited Warm Homes Plan6, pledging £15 billion over the next five years to help up to 5 million homes households install solar panels, heat pumps and battery systems to reduce energy bills and emissions.
The plan aims to triple the number of homes with rooftop solar, support low-carbon heating and lift around one million people out of fuel poverty.
Central to the plan are a mix of grants and low, or zero-interest loans available to households regardless of income. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has been extended to 2029/30, offering up to £7,500 and now including air-source heat pump installations, while an extra £600 million of funding has been allocated to cover the full cost of solar panels and batteries for low-income homes, bringing total support for these households to £5 billion.
The government estimates that, for an average three-bedroom home, installing heat pumps, solar and batteries could save about £500 a year on energy bills. Critics say savings depend on electricity prices and warn that high running costs could undermine benefits for some households.
Energy industry groups have welcomed the plan as providing long-term certainty to investors, but some political opposition figures argue it doesn’t go far enough to cut bills now or tackle fuel poverty this winter.
A notable shift from earlier policy is a reduced focus on insulation, following issues with the existing ECO scheme, with greater emphasis instead on scaling up green technologies.
The plan also includes new rules for rental properties, requiring them to meet a minimum EPC C standard from 2030, and confirms that new homes will be required to have low-carbon heating, strong efficiency measures and solar panels by default.
Interested in sustainable development, and finding out more about the support available? Visit our Sustainability Hub7
- https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1945701/reed-approves-controversial-chinese-super-embassy-plans-despite-significant-likelihood-future-protest-activity-site
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/20/mi5-very-relaxed-proposed-chinese-super-embassy-london-sources-say
- https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/20/china-mega-embassy-approved-london
- https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1945002/mhclg-agrees-inspectors-refusal-100-green-belt-homes-unlawful-following-housebuilders-legal-challenge
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0lx9zz97n7o
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/warm-homes-plan
- https://www.planningportal.co.uk/planning/sustainability-and-planning
