The village of Mark’s Tey on the edge of Colchester in Essex is under pressure from large scale development. And it lies at the junction of two of the county’s most important roads – the A12 and A120 – which have become an increasing blight on the community. Colchester City Council’s answer is to identify the area as a major growth location for 2500 homes...

Local plans are changing. Join our seminar in July on the reforms, devolution, neighbourhood plans & more for parishes and towns — plus live Q&A. The local plan system has changed fundamentally. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 introduced a new four-stage plan-making process that every local planning authority in England must now follow — and for the first time, the rules governing when and how you can have your say are written clearly into statute.

Last month, Leani and Neil attended the Consortium for Scenario Planning annual conference and Neil presented case studies of our XSP experiences on plan making projects for Buckingham and St. Neots... What struck us most at the conference was the scale and scope of the XSP work in the USA. It is being used by state and local governments across its urban and rural areas akin to our new Spatial Development Strategy geography.

ONH have travelled the country throughout June delivering interactive Q&As and hands on workshops about the latest changes to planning and the impact on town and parish councils.

Across England, parish and town councils are stepping up to shape the future of their communities. But, with development pressures rising...