Mobile planning changes
The government is consulting on technical issues arising from the mobile planning reforms announced on 17 March.
Following the Budget statement on 16 March 2016, the government set out its proposed planning relaxations for England in a Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) from the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Brandon Lewis on 17 March.
The planning reforms are for England only and will be implemented by DCLG through changes to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 and the aim is for the reforms to come into effect in the summer.
As some of the proposed reforms remove the requirement for prior approval for certain types of development, e.g. in non-protected areas for antennae on buildings and other structures, and increasing mast heights, DCMS has launched a 6-week consultation on related technical issues. The UK-wide consultation runs from 17 March to 28 April.
The consultation seeks views on the complementary changes needed to the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions & Restrictions) Regulations 2003, specifically relating to the notification requirements under regulations 5 and 8.