Planning The planning application process
The Act will increase certainty in planning decisions by imposing a new duty on decision makers to make planning decisions in accordance with the development plan and national development management policies unless material considerations strongly indicate otherwise.
	The Act will enable improvements to the planning application process for all users with greater powers to regulate information requirements for planning applications (in particular in digital formats) to improve consistency and accessibility; improve community engagement by making permanent regulation-making powers to mandate consultation prior to planning applications being submitted; and introduce an improved process for making non-substantial changes to existing planning permissions. The Act will also enable temporary relief to be given for enforcement action against prescribed planning conditions, in certain circumstances, where it is necessary to lift constraints on operations (as occurred with construction and delivery hours during the recent pandemic).
	The Act will take powers to speed up the process of dealing with applications for nationally important Crown developments in the planning system. This includes a new process for nationally important and urgent developments, and a new route which will allow the Crown to apply directly to the Secretary of State for determination of nationally important development.