Planning essentials training for Local Councils 2025
- National, Local and Neighbourhood Planning Policy - 12 June 2025 (Recording available) Chat questions and links
- Development Management and Getting Involved - 19 June 2025 Create a saved search in the Online Planning Register, Chat questions and links
- Enforcement and Compliance, and Planning Appeals - 10 July 2025 (Enforcement recording available) Chat questions and links
Other Local Council Planning training
We also offer shorter training events based on one or two topics 3 or 4 times a year. These are online Teams events. They are for parish and town clerks and local councillors in Cornwall. You will not have to book a place but can use the Microsoft Teams meeting links to join. We publicise the events by:
- emailing the joining links to local council clerks for sharing with their local council members
- including how to join in the Council's local council newsletter.
No need to book, just use the link to join. Slides will be available on this webpage after the event. Please contact us at positiveplanning@cornwall.gov.uk if any questions.
2026 planning training
24 February 2026
Join Cornwall Council's Planning Policy team on 24 February, 4.00-5.15 pm, for a briefing on national planning changes and consultations from Government. Programme includes:
- current consultation on the revised National Planning Policy Framework
- introduction of new National Decision-Making Policies
- other consultations and announcements
- Planning and Infrastructure Act update
This will be an online event via Teams. The link to join will be sent to local council clerks to cascade to all local councillors. Please contact us at positiveplanning@cornwall.gov.uk if any questions.
2025 planning training
30 September 2025
- Policy update on Local Plan preparation and awaited planning changes
- Neighbourhood Priorities Statements and pilot update
26 February 2025
- Follow on Policy update on the Local Plan call for sites, the approach to the Interim Policy Position Statement and land use strategy
2024 planning training
November 2024
Policy update included:
- Making us more resilient: addressing coastal change within local planning policy
- Public health and planning
- Community led projects in planning
September 2024
Development Management focused event resources include:
- Development Management: Processes and procedures update
- Class Q, Class R and replacement dwellings in the countryside
Previous training
- The Cornwall Climate Emergency Development Plan Document policies have full weight in the planning process from March 2023. This presentation included how policies affect the decision-making process and neighbourhood planning.
- The Environment Agency presented training for local councils. The focus was on their Roles and Responsibilities on 22 March. Content includes Local Flood Risk standing advice.
Some topics covered have had a more recent update. You can find those in the videos prepared from Planning Member Modular Training in the next section.
More Training resources for local councils
We are building a training resource area for local councils. Some are videos and based on presentations given as part of our Member Modular training programme. You can find the latest resources using these links:
- Enforcement and Compliance July 2025
- Planning Policy update June 2025
- Ecology and Development - Protected Species August 2022
- Housing in Cornwall - a Building Control update 7 July 2022
- Sustainable Drainage - an overview 21 April 2022
- Planning Appeals 28 February 2022
- The World Heritage Site and the Planning System 18 October 2021
Day in the life of a planning application
The Cornwall Planning Partnership produced this document. It is an online step by step guide through the entire planning process. It spans from initial development idea through to the completion of development.
You can access this resource using this link: Day in the life of a Planning Application.