The Government must take a more strategic approach to boost the skills and capacity of local planning authorities, starting with reinstating access to funded Level 7 planning apprenticeships for students over the age of 21. The Government must invest in dedicated planning officers for Strategic Authorities and set out its plans for doing so in response to this Report. Each Strategic Authority planning team should include specialist planning skills units to support local authorities, to allow ...

The Government must take a more strategic approach to boost the skills and capacity of local planning authorities, starting with reinstating access to funded Level 7 planning apprenticeships for students over the age of 21. The Government must invest in dedicated planning officers for Strategic Authorities and set out its plans for doing so in response to this Report. Each Strategic Authority planning team should include specialist planning skills units to support local authorities, to allow for more effective resource sharing between authorities. This must include a Section 106 62 support service in each Strategic Authority, with a remit to Type: recommendation | Number: 7 | Response status: under_consideration Government response: 47. The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation. 48. The revised NPPF published in December 2024 is already clear that LPAs should assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for d