Share

cover art for Room 106

Room 106

The Planning magazine team braves Room 106 - the world of pain created by the never-ending blizzard of new planning information - and extracts the key things you need to know


Latest episode

  • 228. Ep228: All the planning news from the Labour Party conference

    20:25||Season 2026, Ep. 228
    In this episode, we’ll be talking about:All the planning news from the Labour Party conference, including planning minister Matthew Pennycook opining on whether the government will further update the National Planning Policy Framework and on local authority decision-making.A round-up of what the Green Party has been saying about housing delivery and development at its annual conference last week.Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years.Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMagRoom 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 227. Ep227: How the planning minister is stepping up the pressure on councils seeking to slow down local plan work

    29:20||Season 2026, Ep. 227
    In this episode, we’ll be examining:The latest local plan interventions by the planning minister and how councils at the receiving end are reacting.The publication of the first-ever draft environmental delivery plan under the government’s new nature recovery system. A planning inspector applying a key new policy from the revised National Planning Policy Framework in allowing a large housing scheme on unallocated farmland.Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years.Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMagRoom 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.
  • 226. Ep226: Casebook Extra – the month’s key ministerial, inspectors’ and court decisions summarised

    25:15||Season 2026, Ep. 226
    The latest edition of our monthly series examining the key recent appeal and court decisions, in which we speak to technical editor David Dewar, who compiles Planning’s long-running Casebook section. This month, we’ll be discussing:An inspector citing a key new policy in the updated National Planning Policy Framework, one day after the document was published, in assessing a housing proposal in Essex.A secretary of state call-in decision on a huge scheme featuring 3,500 homes and a football stadium that is notable for economic development being a clinching factor in its refusal.The High Court finding that a planning committee had been given a false impression due to background papers on biodiversity net gain not being disclosed. How inspectors are testing a national policy that allows neighbourhood plans to disapply the presumption in favour of sustainable development.An appeal inspector anticipating "impulsive and unpredictable noises" from people using a proposed commercial “sauna to ice bath” operation in a residential area.More information on all these cases can be found in the September edition of Casebook on Planning Resource. Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMag Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.
  • 225. Ep225: What the new heritage impact test in national policy means for planners and developers

    19:27||Season 2026, Ep. 225
    In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be examining:What the new National Planning Policy Framework’s simplified heritage impact test means for planners and developers.Why new application call-in powers for mayors could have a game-changing effect on decision-making.Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years.Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMagRoom 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.
  • 224. Ep224: What the pausing of the local government reorganisation programme means for planners

    18:44||Season 2026, Ep. 224
    In this episode, we’ll be taking a close look at the government’s surprise announcement of a review of its long-standing local government reorganisation programme. We’ll also be discussing:A Reform UK council mayor declaring he is “extremely unhappy” that planning officers failed to bring a 910-home green belt plan to committee on time.The chancellor announcing that a mechanism to allow Parliament to designate and approve major energy schemes that are of “critical national importance” will be extended to all nationally significant infrastructure projects.Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMag Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.
  • 223. Ep223: All the planning news from the Reform UK party conference, plus a first-take on the government’s council reorganisation review

    23:39||Season 2026, Ep. 223
    In this episode, we’ll be discussing:All the planning news from the Reform UK party conference last weekend.Two new local plan interventions by planning minister Matthew Pennycook.The housing secretary and the planning minister telling councils to “scale up” housing delivery immediately and urging them to “make full use of section 106 opportunities”.And breaking news that the government has paused its roll-out of local government reorganisation.Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMag Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.
  • 222. Ep222: Why appeal-ready planning applications are on the rise and what it means for applicants and authorities

    26:52||Season 2026, Ep. 222
    In this Deep Dive edition, we’ll be examining:The implications of the rise of so-called “appeal-ready” planning applications – what are they, why are they more common and what does it mean for planning professionals?Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years. Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @planningMag Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.