Colleges: Planning Permission
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support colleges and further education institutions applying for planning permission to expand their sites.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook
There is an existing Permitted Development Right – Part 7 of Class M of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 – which allows colleges and universities to erect new buildings, extensions and make alterations without the submission of a planning application. The right is subject to limits and conditions to control local impacts.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that local planning authorities should take a proactive, positive, and collaborative approach to ensuring that a sufficient choice of post-16 places are available to meet the needs of existing and new communities.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to education facilities. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →