Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what training programmes they are putting into place for local planning officers to ensure they understand the implications of the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

My Department funds the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) to provide specialist training, peer learning and guidance for local planning authorities, including on implementing planning reforms and the National Planning Policy Framework. During the 2025–26 financial year, we allocated approximately £2.8 million to PAS, and officials collaborate closely with PAS to turn policy objectives into practical support.

Furthermore, we are taking action to improve planning capacity and capability. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system as a one-year settlement for 2025-2026.

At the Budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor announced a further £48 million of investment over three years to support local planning authorities to attract, retain and develop skilled planners over a sustained period.

Of this, £28.8 million has been allocated to MHCLG’s Planning Capacity and Capability Programme, equating to £9.6 million additional per year for the next three years. This allocation will supplement existing budgets.

In total, the Programme now aims to deliver around 1,325 planners by the end of this Parliament, significantly exceeding our original manifesto commitment to deliver 300 new planning officers. Wider cross-government recruitment and investment in planning capacity and capability will increase this figure further to approximately 1,400 planners.

The new funding will support both graduate and mid-career entry routes into planning, including by means of expanding the Pathways to Planning Graduate Scheme and establishing a Planning Careers Hub.