Weekly planning news
Planning news - 28 May 2026
Housing associations receive top regulatory ratings
Three housing associations have received top consumer ratings from the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH).
According to a press release published on the government’s website1, Sanctuary Housing Association and Railway Housing Association and Benefit Fund both secured upgrades to a C1 consumer grading, while Regenda Limited received its first C1 rating alongside an upgraded governance grade.
The C1 grading represents the highest level of consumer performance under the regulator's revised framework and indicates that landlords are meeting expected standards around tenant services, safety and engagement.
According to the RSH, improvements to repairs services played a key role in the upgraded ratings for Sanctuary and Railway Housing. Railway Housing was also recognised for improvements to resident engagement and its understanding of tenant needs, while Regenda demonstrated effective governance and risk management processes.
The latest assessments come as the regulator continues implementing strengthened consumer standards introduced in April 2024 through the Social Housing Regulation Act, aimed at improving accountability across the sector.
Visit the government’s website for the full story.2
Planning cut proposals prompt questions
Recent reporting by The Guardian3 has highlighted Reform UK’s proposed changes to planning capacity.
The proposals, outlined in a policy paper 4published by the party late last year, reportedly include plans to reduce overall civil service headcount by 13%, including the removal of 450 planning-related roles at a projected saving of £40m per year.
According to The Guardian, 2025 civil service workforce statistics show there are currently 445 planners employed across the civil service in Britain. In response, Reform UK said the figures also include around 440 planning inspectors employed within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government through the Planning Inspectorate. The Planning Inspectorate is responsible for handling planning appeals and making recommendations on nationally significant infrastructure projects.
The proposals form part of a wider package of reforms which Reform UK says are designed to reduce public spending and reshape the civil service.
You can read the full story on The Guardian website.5
Solar farm appeal sparks call for policy review
An appeal decision approving a proposed solar farm in County Durham has prompted council leaders to call for a review of planning policy. A Durham County Council leader has urged government to reconsider what he described as "overly permissive" wording within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), following the Planning Inspectorate's decision to overturn the council's refusal of a solar development near Burnhope.
The scheme, which will see solar panels installed across multiple fields close to a local nature reserve, has attracted significant local opposition, with residents raising concerns over landscape impacts, countryside protection and loss of amenity.
In correspondence with the North Durham MP, the County Council leader argued that current policy places insufficient weight on protecting valued landscapes and communities from what he described as the "commercialisation" of rural areas.
The development itself has had a complex planning journey. Initial plans were approved by the council in 2023 before a judicial review resulted in the decision being quashed. A revised application submitted in 2024 was later refused by the council, but that decision was overturned on appeal.
In allowing the scheme, the Planning Inspectorate concluded that the wider public benefits associated with tackling climate change and achieving Net Zero targets outweighed the identified harms.
You can find further information on the BBC website.6
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/three-housing-associations-get-top-consumer-grade
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/three-housing-associations-get-top-consumer-grade
- https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/26/reform-civil-service-plan-would-sack-more-planning-officers-than-exist
- https://preparingforgovernment.com/civil-service-reform
- https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/26/reform-civil-service-plan-would-sack-more-planning-officers-than-exist
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g77660yl5o
