Local Council Planning Training

Planning essentials training for Local Councils 2025

We are pleased to offer Planning Essentials training for Local Councils following the recent elections.  The programme includes:

• National, Local and Neighbourhood Planning Policy - 12 June 2025 (Recording available) Chat questions and links
• Development Management and Getting Involved - 19 June at 16.00-17.30 Create a saved search in the Online Planning Register
• Enforcement and Compliance, and Planning Appeals - 10 July at 16.00-17.30

These are online Teams sessions and the invites and joining links will be sent to all clerks to cascade to all local councillors week beginning 6 May.  These sessions are suitable for brand new local councillors as well as a useful refresher for returning members and clerks.

No need to book, just use the link to join.  Email positiveplanning@cornwall.gov.uk if any questions.

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. 

2025 planning training

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
• Policy event 26 February - published Questions and Answers

29 January 2025

• Policy update on the revised NPPF and other planning changes, how Neighbourhood Plans and the Local Plan are impacted, next steps on the Call for Sites 
• Policy event 29 January - published Questions and Answers

2024 planning training

November 2024

Policy update included:

• Further update on the revised NPPF and other planning changes
• Making us more resilient: addressing coastal change within local planning policy
• Public health and planning
• Community led projects in planning

September 2024

Development Management focussed event resources include:

• Development Management: Processes and procedures update
• Development Management Area Team update and reconnect offer
• Class Q, Class R and replacement dwellings in the countryside
• Planning Enforcement training 2024 
• Revised NPPF and planning changes consultation 2024 plus Planning policy briefing note

February 2024

Planning changes, Local Plan, NDPs and Call for Sites. Focussed on:

• the work being planned for preparing a new Local Plan in Cornwall
• how NDPs are affected
• our call for sites

It also includes:

• an update on the latest planning changes flowing from the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act etc.
• current Government consultations

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.
• The benefits of pre-application discussions including case studies
• Infilling and Rounding off update including case studies

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:

• 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
• Planning Enforcement and Compliance 31 January 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.