Rural Planning

A future-focused vision for rural communities involves not just building the right homes in the right places but also ensuring thriving, sustainable communities.

Hot Topics

05 Jan 2026

Government Sets Out Major Planning Reforms

In the days leading up to the parliamentary recess over Christmas, the Government set out a series of significant announcements on planning reform, housing delivery and infrastructure. Together, these measures...

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08 Dec 2025

Will Devolution Deliver For Rural Communities?

New research shows how England’s devolution programme could unlock the delivery of affordable homes in rural communities – if rural priorities are embedded in local strategies and supported by national...

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01 Dec 2025

RSN Member Exclusive Seminar Programme 2026 – Bookings Now Open

We’re delighted to launch the RSN Member Exclusive Seminar Programme for 2026, bringing together industry experts, rural practitioners, and sector leaders to explore the major issues shaping rural communities across...

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01 Dec 2025

Government Sets Out Next Steps For New Local Plan System

Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook has provided an update on the government’s reforms to the local plan-making system in England, confirming key legislative, funding and timetable measures intended to...

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01 Dec 2025

New Research Explores The Future Shape Of Local Government In England

A new report from the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), produced in partnership with Local Partnerships, examines how England’s evolving governance system could operate by 2050. Drawing on a survey...

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24 Nov 2025

RTPI Calls for Rural Focus in English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has published an amendment briefing calling for the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to explicitly recognise and address the needs of rural communities....

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18 Nov 2025

Nature Not a Blocker to Housing

The Environmental Audit Committee has published a report on Environmental Sustainability and Housing Growth, concluding that nature is not a “blocker” to new housing and warning that environmental protections must...

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03 Nov 2025

Committee Urges Action To Improve Land Value Capture System

The House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has published a new report, Delivering 1.5 million new homes: Land Value Capture, examining how reforms to developer contributions could...

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27 Oct 2025

More Than 1 In 4 Brits Live In Homes That Could Make Them Ill

New research commissioned by Health Equals has revealed that 15 million people in the UK live in homes with issues like damp, mould or cold. Those from low-income households, renters...

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13 Oct 2025

Understanding How Rural Communities Experience Flooding

New doctoral research is shedding light on how rural communities experience and respond to flooding and why their needs often differ from those of larger towns and cities. Dr Dan...

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