The number of local planning authorities with an up-to-date local plan has fallen significantly since 2019. As at February 2025, only 86 LPAs–29% of all the LPAs in England–had adopted a local plan in the past five years. By contrast, in February 2019, 149 LPAs had an up-to-date local plan. This Committee has previously reported on the number of local authorities without an up-to-date local plan, which takes on average seven years to produce. Without an up-to-date local plan, LPAs risk not be...

The number of local planning authorities with an up-to-date local plan has fallen significantly since 2019. As at February 2025, only 86 LPAs–29% of all the LPAs in England–had adopted a local plan in the past five years. By contrast, in February 2019, 149 LPAs had an up-to-date local plan. This Committee has previously reported on the number of local authorities without an up-to-date local plan, which takes on average seven years to produce. Without an up-to-date local plan, LPAs risk not being able to deliver the new homes needed to meet local demand and may not be able to coordinate the appropriate amount of contributions from development. Type: conclusion | Number: 2 | Response status: accepted Government response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented In February 2025, the department published the government response to the July 2023 consultation on the implementation of reforms to the plan-making system. On 27 November, the govern