News and Resources

Our weekly update on decision letters issued in the preceding week by the Secretary of State or Planning Inspectorate on section 77 and 78 appeals in relation to proposals for major development that have been determined following a public inquiry, rather than informal hearing or written representations. Summaries are for information only and are not to be relied upon as advice.

Our latest update as to any rulings last week of the Planning Court together with any relevant appellate judgments, along with a commentary by Town Legal LLP and links. Where appropriate, we also include other relevant public law rulings from other courts. Summaries are for information only and are not to be relied upon as advice.

Our archive of commentaries for Planning Court rulings, relevant appellate judgments and other relevant public law rulings from other courts where appropriate.

Town Legal has developed, with assistance from legal engineers Simmons Wavelength Limited, an interactive data visualisation tool to assist in showing statistics for planning appeals determined in England and Wales between 2014 and November 2023. The tool breaks down the data by date, outcome, appellant, housing numbers and/or local planning authority, and is interactive so users can click on the visualisations to explore the data in more depth.

Specialist planning law firm Town Legal LLP has teamed up with leading planning and environmental barristers’ chambers Landmark to launch the Planning Court Case Explorer – a business intelligence tool designed to provide clients, and anyone interested in the planning process, with free to access data on cases which have been heard in the Planning Court since its inception in 2014 up to 31st August 2023. Case Explorer also includes data on cases subsequently heard in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.