--- title: Plans, Delays and Recoveries description: Being alert in the property development and planning sectors means we study, monitor and await new trends, We have started to see Covid-19 affecting plans. image: https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hubfs/plans-delays-and-recoveries-featured.jpg --- [![RCA Regeneration](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/RCA_Logo_RGB.png?width=588&height=436&name=RCA_Logo_RGB.png "RCA Regeneration")](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/) - [About](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/about-us) - [Meet the Team](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/about-us/meet-the-team) - [RCA News](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk) - [Contact RCA](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/contact) - [Services](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/services) - [Planning](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/services/planning) - [Development](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/services/development) - [Architecture](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/services/architecture) - [Projects](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/projects) - [Sectors](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/sectors) - [Contact](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/contact) # Plans, Delays and Recoveries **Article written by:** [Sian Griffiths](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/author/sian-griffiths) **Share this:** [Share this blog post on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I+found+this+interesting+blog+post&url=https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/plans-delays-and-recoveries) [Share this blog post on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/plans-delays-and-recoveries) [Share this blog post on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/plans-delays-and-recoveries) - [planning](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/tag/planning) - [planning application](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/tag/planning-application) - [planning consultant](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/tag/planning-consultant) - [housing](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/tag/housing) ![](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hubfs/plans-delays-and-recoveries-featured.jpg) So now we await a return to normality that may never really arrive. Cummings’ trip up north may have heralded a relaxation of the government’s lockdown and a move towards us being more ‘alert’ – whatever that means.  However, being alert in the property development and [planning](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/planning/) sectors means we study and monitor and await the beginnings of new trends. Future consumer behaviour, as one of the key determinants of the market for new homes, together with of course the persistent pent-up demand for housing is difficult to predict. The economy, it is estimated by the ONS, contracted by 5.8% in March of this year. With a staggering [600,000 jobs being lost](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53060529) between March and May and an unemployment claimant count of 2.8m people, it is hard to see a way out of this mess and it is hard to be positive about the future.   However, I would posit that the long-term outlook for development planning in this country is recession-proof, insofar as it caters for household growth, population growth and migration that is predicted to happen. People don’t just stop having babies and forming new households just because there is an economic recession. In fact, the opposite is often true, particularly where there are [cuts in interest rates.](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/dec/23/bust-to-boom-how-uk-central-bank-boosted-births-after-2008-crisis)    We have already started to see Covid-19 affecting plan preparation. South Staffordshire Council, Central Bedfordshire, Elmbridge Borough, Horsham, Chichester, Chiltern and South Bucks, North Hertfordshire and Rutland are already delaying plan preparation as a result Covid-19. This list grows almost by the day. This will almost certainly leave some planning authorities without an up to date development plan and facing a lack of 5 year housing land supply.  I’m afraid I have little sympathy with this situation.      We have known for some time that our country is on its way to being [1 million homes](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2018/11/02/britain-facing-1m-shortfall-new-homes-2026/) adrift from where we should be. And it is this that will continue to push house prices up and out of the reach of so many of the population. So despite a recession being on the cards, we must continue to progress development plans; issuing planning permissions in a timely manner and delivering new homes. Delays to plan preparation could be caused by redeploying staff within Councils, but it could also be because of concerns over how to engage the public going forward. Public consultation and participation in the planning process is of course important, but it can be done even in the current circumstances. The public can be reached and they can take part in development planning. We have been running postal consultations reaching thousands of people since the beginning of the year to tell people about development proposals and ask for their views. It's all very well doing everything via websites, but those without internet access are still excluded by that process, so traditional forms of communication are, at present, a more inclusive way of reaching those we need to talk to. Planners are good at adapting to change – I hope we all embrace these new ways of working as quickly as we can, or the consequences of delay will be catastrophic. Sadly, those with the most to lose from a poorly-functioning planning system will be the first to pay the price: the homeless, those in overcrowded, inadequate or poor quality housing, families who cannot afford homes with gardens, people with special needs, the elderly with support needs who cannot afford expensive sheltered housing and young people.  [![Local Plan eBook](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4908883/37325c1c-dccc-483f-b889-eecc834d7fd7.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4908883/37325c1c-dccc-483f-b889-eecc834d7fd7) ### Leave a Comment [![](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hubfs/RCA_Logo_RGB.png)](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/enabling-development-what-is-it) [Rob Csondor](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/author/rob-csondor) ### [‘Enabling Development’ – What is it?!](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/enabling-development-what-is-it) Recently I have been dealing with more cases for 'Enabling Development', either where it has been enforced by a Local Planning Authority to try and restrict development... [Read More](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/enabling-development-what-is-it) [![](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hubfs/FVA-Apr-23.jpg)](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/rca-exceed-15.9m-fva-savings) [Rob Csondor](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/author/rob-csondor) ### [RCA exceed £15.9m FVA savings for developer clients](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/rca-exceed-15.9m-fva-savings) RCA Regeneration confirm savings for its developer clients have now exceeded £15,900,000 (since Jan. 2022), unlocking previously unviable sites through Financial... [Read More](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/rca-exceed-15.9m-fva-savings) [![Max-Your-Chances-of-Appeal-Success-featured](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hubfs/Max-Your-Chances-of-Appeal-Success-featured.jpg)](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/max-your-chances-of-appeal-success-the-specifics-of-written-representations) [Sian Griffiths](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/author/sian-griffiths) ### [Max Your Chances of Planning Appeal Success: The Specifics of Written Representations](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/max-your-chances-of-appeal-success-the-specifics-of-written-representations) If you have had a planning application rejected, you may want to consider resubmitting if there is a genuine possibility of making changes to meet the requirements of... [Read More](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/max-your-chances-of-appeal-success-the-specifics-of-written-representations) [![5-Key-Steps-to-Getting-Your-Planning-Application-Passed-Featured](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hubfs/5-Key-Steps-to-Getting-Your-Planning-Application-Passed-Featured.jpg)](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/developers-5-key-steps-to-getting-your-planning-application-passed) [Sian Griffiths](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/author/sian-griffiths) ### [5 Key Steps to Getting Your Planning Application Passed](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/developers-5-key-steps-to-getting-your-planning-application-passed) Achieving planning consent is not just about what your scheme looks like, it is about a lot more. The context within which your application is submitted is incredibly... [Read More](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/developers-5-key-steps-to-getting-your-planning-application-passed) [![](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hubfs/making-hay-featured.jpg)](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/making-hay-while-the-sun-shines) [Sian Griffiths](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/author/sian-griffiths) ### [Making Hay While the Sun Shines](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/making-hay-while-the-sun-shines) We now find ourselves experiencing a mix of weird dreams, unsettled nights, gorgeous weather, home working, home schooling, social distancing, fear for our loved ones... [Read More](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/making-hay-while-the-sun-shines) [![how-to-ensure-a-brownfield](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hubfs/how-to-ensure-a-brownfield.jpg)](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/how-to-ensure-a-brownfield-site-has-potential) [Rob Csondor](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/author/rob-csondor) ### [How to Ensure a Brownfield Site Has Potential](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/how-to-ensure-a-brownfield-site-has-potential) Let’s assume you have identified one or a number of urban/ brownfield sites that could offer [development](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/development/) opportunity. You now need to ensure each one is viable Here’s... [Read More](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/how-to-ensure-a-brownfield-site-has-potential) ## Related Articles ### RCA - [About RCA](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/about-us) - [Services](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/services) - [Sectors](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/sectors) - [Projects](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/projects) ### Services - [Planning](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/services/planning) - [Development](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/services/development) - [Architecture](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/services/architecture) ### Resources - [Contact](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/contact) - [News](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk) - [Privacy Policy](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/privacy-policy) - [Complaints Policy](https://rcaregeneration.co.uk/complaints-policy) ### Address Unit 6 De Salis Court, Hampton Lovett Industrial Estate, Droitwich Spa Worcestershire, WR9 0QE ### Newsletter ### Sign up to receive the latest RCA news & updates ![RCA Logo Text Only](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hubfs/raw_assets/public/RCA%20Theme%2024/images/rca-logo-text-only.svg) ![](https://blog.rcaregeneration.co.uk/hubfs/raw_assets/public/RCA%20Theme%2024/images/rca-multi-line.svg) © RCA Regeneration. 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