Procedure guide for new local plan system听published
The Planning Inspectorate has published its procedure guide for local plan examinations under the new local plan system.
This听initial听edition of the听guide听supports听local planning authorities听(LPAs)听and others involved in plan preparation and examination.听It offers practical guidance, procedure and information and covers the gateway assessments and the examination process in detail.听听
The new听local plan system, developed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)听and听with听specialist input from听the Planning Inspectorate, came into force in March 2026 with the new鈥疶own and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026,鈥痳eplacing the existing 2012 plan听making regulations. It听introduced听a structured gateway process designed to support earlier engagement and help deliver the government鈥檚 expectation of a 30-month end-to-end plan-making process.听
Local authorities听working under the听new local plan system听are encouraged to visit听Create or Update a Local Plan (CULP),听which is the central resource for plan-making guidance and complements this procedural guide.听
Andrew Megginson, Head of Plans Examination听for听the planning Inspectorate said:听
We are ready to support local planning authorities as they begin working under the听new local plan system,听and this guide is an important step in setting out how we will work with them through gateways and examinations. This is a first edition听-听we will continue to develop and refine the guidance as the system beds in and as we gain experience of how it works in practice. We are committed to working closely with MHCLG and the wider planning community to make this new system a success.
The procedure guide is available on the Planning Inspectorate鈥檚 扒哥吃瓜 pages. For wider plan-making guidance, visit听Create and Update a Local Plan (CULP).听
Webinar听and live听question and听answer听(Q & A) session听-听Monday 6 July听
We know there is considerable appetite听in the plan-making community听for further information on how examinations will work in practice under the听new local plan system, and on the digital services being developed alongside it. We are therefore pleased to announce听a .听
The webinar听Plan, Prepare, Progress: A practical guide to the听new local plan听system听 - will be presented by the Planning Inspectorate鈥檚 Andrew Megginson (Head of Plans Examination) and Simon Berkeley (Planning Inspector and Professional Lead for Local Plans) and feature contributions from colleagues at听the Inspectorate听and MHCLG. It will also听give an introduction to听both the new听local plan听system听procedure guide and the digital services in development.听The听webinar听will be followed by a live Q & A event听which will give LPAs the opportunity to hear directly from the teams developing the new system, ask questions, and get clarity on how examinations will work in practice.听听
Legacy and new systems听running together听
The local plans system has now entered a period of听dual-running.听听The legacy plan-making system (2012 regulations) will remain in place for authorities to adopt plans鈥痵ubmitted鈥痭o later than 31 December 2026, while the听new local plan system听is available for other authorities.鈥��
Information from MHCLG听
Create or update a local plan using the new system听-听扒哥吃瓜
Gateway 2 assessment for local plans: what you need to do - 扒哥吃瓜听