New planning laws 2026: what has changed for your London project

Planning has not stood still this summer. Three separate changes landed within weeks of each other, and if you are planning an extension, a loft conversion, a change of use or a new home in London, two of them genuinely affect you. Here is what changed, in plain English, and what we would do about it.

The three changes, in one minute

• A new National Planning Policy Framework, published on 17 August 2026. This is the rulebook every council officer and planning committee measures applications against — and it was rewritten from top to bottom. See the government's announcement.
• The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 is being switched on in stages. It received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025, with provisions coming into force from 18 February 2026, then 24 July and 1 September 2026. Read the Act itself.
• The permitted development rules were amended on 27 August 2026, including new freedoms for domestic solar panels — see the amendment order.

The new NPPF: decisions just became more rules-based

The single biggest shift is how decisions get made. The new Framework deliberately separates the policies used to write local plans from the policies used to decide applications, and the decision-making rules are meant to be standardised across England — so councils have less room to improvise their own interpretation.

What that means for you:

• Less negotiation, more compliance. Under the old Framework, a scheme could sometimes be argued into approval over several rounds. The new system rewards applications that meet the stated rules first time.
• A new presumption in favour of sustainable development, plus a firmer approach to Green Belt and "grey belt" land — mostly relevant if you are a developer looking at sites.
• A presumption in favour of development near well-connected railway stations — one to watch if you own land or a large garden near a tube or rail station.
• Tighter viability rules at application stage — arguments to reduce affordable housing or other obligations are harder to win.

What it means in London: more strategy from City Hall

The new Framework revives sub-regional strategic planning through Spatial Development Strategies — looking ahead at least 25 years and sitting above borough local plans. In London, expect housing numbers, growth distribution and strategic infrastructure to be settled increasingly at city level, while borough plans focus on site allocations and genuinely local matters. If you are waiting on a borough's emerging plan, the ground may move underneath it.

The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025

Most of the Act is about major infrastructure, but three parts matter for ordinary projects:

• The Nature Restoration Fund. A new way of dealing with environmental assessments — things like bats and protected species can increasingly be handled through a levy rather than individual surveys. It is rolling out in stages through 2026, so ask us how it applies to your site.
• Judicial review protection. If a granted permission is challenged in the courts, the deadlines for building it no longer simply expire — implementation windows are extended (by up to four years in the most serious challenges). That has saved more than one hard-won permission.
• Faster decision deadlines on certain consents are being phased in, pressing councils to move quicker.

Solar and the permitted development amendment (27 August 2026)

If you were told solar panels "need planning permission", the rules have just moved. The amendment order rewrites the permitted development rights for domestic solar: clearer treatment for plug-in solar, new limits on roof protrusion and stand-alone panels, and separate rules for blocks of flats. We check the new limits as standard on every project that includes solar.

What we would do about it

• Refused before August 2026? The policy ground has shifted since your decision. A refusal review is often worth a fresh look — we assess what has changed and whether a resubmission, appeal or redesign gives you the best route. Start at our planning permission guide.
• Extension or loft in the pipeline? The permitted development limits for extensions and lofts are unchanged, but the decision-making rules above them are not — and Article 4 directions still strip rights away in many London boroughs. We check that first, every time: extensions · loft conversions.
• Serious about a site or a project this year? Call the team on 0203 151 1224 or send us the details — we file around 200 applications a year and we will tell you quickly how the new rules treat yours.