Application Check is now live on Planning Portal, using AI to help you catch potential document errors before they cause avoidable delays.
Built directly into the application journey, our new AI-powered validation tool reviews your plans and supporting documents before you submit, flags potential problems and provides clear guidance on how to address them.
You know your project. Application Check keeps an eye on the detail. You run it when you choose, and you decide what to act on.
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This increase is set by government to ensure local authorities can recover at least 90% of their costs when determining applications.
Changes are due to take affect from 8 December 2026, once the legislation has gained parliamentary approval.
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More than 800 planning professionals signed up for our latest SmartApply webinar, making it one of our most popular events to date.
We hosted the session for planning consultants, agents, architects and local authority colleagues to share our new features and the product roadmap ahead. The response was fantastic, and the live polls gave us a clear, first-hand picture of what matters most to the people who use SmartApply every day.
A huge well done to Scott Alford and Surabhi Deshpande, who both presented brilliantly. It was a real pleasure to share our vision, and the changes we’re making, with such a large and engaged audience.
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Within Planning Portal, Projects gives users a place to bring related applications together. As the needs of professionals continue to evolve, so does Projects.
We’ve now expanded that capability so you can create and manage multiple projects, making it easier to organise work across a wider range of properties, developments and clients. Recent enhancements build on the Projects workflows, giving users greater flexibility to manage multiple projects, collaborate with others and keep track of applications as work progresses.
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From 1 October 2026, councils will need information to determine whether the new Building Safety Levy (BSL) applies to a development.
To help applicants provide the information local authorities need, Planning Portal has introduced a new ‘Building Safety Levy’ section to the ‘Full Plans’ online application type for building control.
This change will take effect from 1 October 2026.
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A closer look at how Band 2 supports different planning journeys; and the capabilities we’re continuing to build into Planning Portal.
Earlier this month, we introduced a new structure for Planning Portal alongside a significant expansion of the capabilities available across the planning journey.
Band 2 brings together application types that, based on our assessment, typically have more requirements and benefit from greater platform capability.
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From today, Planning Portal is bringing new data, intelligence, AI and smarter workflows into more of the planning journey. From understanding what may be possible, to preparing and checking an application, through to submission and Building Control.
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From today, Planning Portal is bringing new data, intelligence, AI and smarter workflows into more of the planning journey, with a clear aim for local authorities: help applicants understand more and submit stronger applications before it reaches you.
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Planning application activity remained broadly stable in July 2026, with 49,135 applications submitted during the month. This represents little change compared to June 2026, although application numbers were 5% lower than in July 2025.
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Changes intended to broaden the scope of solar installations for houses in England without requiring an application for planning permission were published by Government at the end of July, and come into force on 27th August 2026.
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