The Government’s immediate planning response to the coronavirus pandemic taking hold in the UK focussed on ensuring that planning committee meetings could continue and take place remotely and on the introduction of some emergency permitted development rights.

After a brief hiatus, a further round of planning measures were announced by MHCLG on 13 May 2020, followed by a Written Ministerial Statement (“WMS”) setting out the Government’s expectations for how the planning system should be operating and kept moving during the emergency period. Additional guidance was also issued to local planning authorities and acquiring authorities.