iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

New NPPF: Some analysis of the ‘well connected’ stations policy and the HDT from the fabulous @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social team: Stations 👉 lichfields.uk/blog/2026/au... HDT 👉 lichfields.uk/insight-focu...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

From Abercrombie to Opportunities to the next London Plan: a new @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social blog looking at what early GLA signals are telling us about the new blueprint for London, its alignment with new NPPF tests of soundness and the need to look beyond the M25 lichfields.uk/blog/2026/ju...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

A new @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social blog from me looking at the recent Alan Milburn report on NEETs and the critical relationship with housing and the need - amidst current political turbulence - to keep making the argument in favour of supply. lichfields.uk/blog/2026/ju...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

Interactive maps, charts, some commentary on new strategic planning geographies and an oblique reference to a letter from Caroline Spelman: your new @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social blog. lichfields.uk/blog/2026/fe...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Some @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social comment from Rachel Clements and yours truly in this Planning Mag analysis on the draft NPPF's new presumption in favour of sustainable development www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1944... £ More insight at the Lichfields online resource lichfields.uk/national-pol...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

A link to all the latest @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social comment on the #NPPF consultation, with blogs on small sites, housing mix, plan making, clarity on green belt, technical standards, the revised presumption, and of course rail stations. lichfields.uk/national-pol... Merry Christmas....

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

The @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social analysis of the Government’s proposed policy for unlocking growth around rail stations hits @thetimes.com in this piece by Emma Duncan: www.thetimes.com/article/dd1c... (£) Original blog including more details of the analysis is here: lichfields.uk/blog/2025/de...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

Who doesn't like a draft NPPF for Christmas? The @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social elves have been busy analysing the potential of the proposed rail stations policy (lichfields.uk/blog/2025/de...) and creating a decision tree for the new NPPF presumption (lichfields.uk/blog/2025/de...). Enjoy.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 13/07/2025

My rentaquote tendency continues with a small contribution to this The Times piece on the proposed powers for Mayoral Development Orders as featured in the new English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. www.thetimes.com/article/b7ce... (£)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

My ramblings on LinkedIn regarding the slump in permissions featured in Planning Mag this week www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1922...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

Quoted in the @financialtimes.com on the collapse in the number of planning permissions for housing and what it means for the government’s 1.5’ ambition www.ft.com/content/41e2... (£)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

I don't know why I bother, but this is piss poor from the Grauniad (and IPPR, who should know better). www.theguardian.com/politics/202... The landbanking contention was disproved by CMA and the data used to derive the 1.4m figure is specifically caveated as not being appropriate for that use

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Among the large bundle of material (www.midsussex.gov.uk/planning-bui...) on the challenge by Mid Sussex District Council to the Inspector's finding that its Local Plan has failed the duty to cooperate is a chronology of the hearings (www.midsussex.gov.uk/media/5vgbtr...) including this little gem:

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

From the shores of the Aegean I’m quoted in @thetimes.com on the proposals for reforming delegation and planning committees www.thetimes.com/article/bc14... (£)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Planning Mag write up of @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social research on application determination times: www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1918... (£). Full report here: www.lpdf.co.uk/wx-uploads/f...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

New research prepared by Lichfields for LPDF and Richborough reveals a stark deterioration over the past decade in the amount of time it takes to determine outline planning applications for new homes despite a big drop in the number of applications. More here: lichfields.uk/content/insi...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

I’m quoted in The Times on the Government’s good start in its planning boost for house building, but also the timescale challenge in doing so from a low base www.thetimes.com/article/b9c8... (£) given how much longer it takes to determine planning applications now, compared to ten years ago.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

It will take time for Govt reforms to boost housing supply but today’s OBR outlook gives a downpayment on those benefits in what it says about the impact of NPPF reforms for housebuilding, house prices, economic output and £3.5bn of tax. Credit to @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social and the MHCLG team.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Planning and the search for the holy grail: I’m quoted in @thetimes.com on forthcoming reforms to determine what applications go before committees; all in the iminent Planning and Infrastructure bill www.thetimes.com/article/712c... (£)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

It’s all egregious salience in this Planning Mag piece on rogue committees. www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1905...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Delighted to host this morning's @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social seminar on the 'NPPF and all that follows': 200 clients joined us to hear an engaging discussion from a stellar panel of @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social, Jennie Daly, Brett Leahy & Rachel Clements. Thanks to all who made the event a success.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Quite a range in the Govt’s announcement today, a lot of which relates to taking forward LURA provisions and content of the P&I Bill, but also some small signals on the direction of NDMPs especially regarding development around rail stations. www.gov.uk/government/n...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Planners officially smarter than surveyors, barristers and architects 🙂 but not solicitors 😟 www.thetimes.com/article/41c177b6-33b5-413f-b431-14f008bbd9a2?shareToken=80f6002afb28be0f0c2deb5eab92c573 (£)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Interested in 'grey belt'? Like a good flow chart? Enjoy wallowing in how to interpret national planning policy? Yes? Well, your cup runneth over. Here's @jenniebaker.bsky.social of @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social with an explanation of how it all works. lichfields.uk/blog/2025/ja...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Day one of the first local plan examination of 2025, at Enfield. Among the topics today: Green Belt release and general conformity with London Plan.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

The Govt’s intention to remove ‘hope value’ in CPO (as reported in @thetimes.com raises issues flagged in my 2023 blog: lichfields.uk/blog/2023/ju.... Times article here: www.thetimes.com/article/a81b... (£)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

Return of the perennial ‘use it or lose it’ debate in today’s @thetimes.com means a dust off for my 2021 blog (pre LURA and CMA report) on the challenging practicalities of the concept: lichfields.uk/blog/2021/ma.... Original Times piece: www.thetimes.com/article/a2dc... (£)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

On the final approach towards a new NPPF this week and the press coverage begins. Here’s me talking cobblers about grey belt in @thetimes.com www.thetimes.com/article/ae07... (£)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Thursday evening saw the London Office of @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social transformed into a cocktail bar (temporary, ancillary and thus without requiring planning permission) whereupon a great evening was spent with a selection of lovely clients over early festive drinks. Thanks to those who attended.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Pleased to see the @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social new towns heat map get another outing, this time in The Planner, with this piece cantering through some of the issues involved in location, designing and delivering the next generation of New Towns: www.theplanner.co.uk/2024/11/20/n...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 31/10/2024

Malaga. A city rooftop bar on a balmy evening is IMHO a high point of civilisation

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 27/10/2024

Autumnal view from Ally Pally. One never tires of it.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 25/10/2024

Splendid view from OXO tower last night celebrating a project milestone, courtesy of a grateful (and generous) client who hosted the (extensive) advisory team. Great to share reflections on the journey of a project that began in 2018.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 22/10/2024

Back at Mid Sussex for Day 1 of District Plan EIP. It’s 8 years since we spent weeks in the same chamber debating Objectively Assessed Need at the Core Strategy EIP (low point: a Saturday spent in a cacophonous soft play centre on the North Circular writing a Note to the Inspector on market signals)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 20/10/2024

Argh. No, BBC, bringing 261,471 long term empty homes into use does not mean “the housing crisis would be solved at a stroke”. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 15/10/2024

And seven years since my uniquely motivational management response to your accolade appeared in the Planning media 😬

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 22/09/2024

Excellent and convivial Oxford Joint Planning Law conference with host of excellent, insightful and engaging speakers. Now home and somewhat fatigued, with the vague sensation I’ve been on a strangely cerebral stag weekend.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 22/09/2024

The abysmal Oxford train station and its dreary environs are not a gateway befitting the status and (mostly) beauty of this historic and important city.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 16/09/2024

There’s a Matthew Spry on University Challenge and sadly it isn’t me….

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 04/09/2024

Delighted (if not a little daunted) to be speaking at the Francis Taylor Building Annual Planning Forum, with perspectives on whether changes to planning, in particular the NPPF and Standard Method, will secure the desired shift in housing delivery www.ftbchambers.co.uk/events/#ftb-...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 31/08/2024

Completing my summer stint as planning rent-a-quote for the @thetimes.com, some back-of-the-envelope analysis from @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social leads to a suggestion that Green Belt the size of Surrey (“vast swathes”) could fall into the definition of Grey Belt www.thetimes.com/article/4368... (£)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 24/08/2024

The @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social New Town opportunity maps make an appearance in this weekend essay by Emma Duncan in @thetimes.com which canters around the issues involved in locating, planning, designing and delivering nationally-significant new communities www.thetimes.com/article/6aba... (£) 1/2

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 22/08/2024

Some daft blather from me on New Towns in a Planning Magazine piece (www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1885...) on challenges facing the Govt’s new programme, which also references @lichfieldsuk.bsky.social 2019 research on Garden Communities lichfields.uk/media/5638/h...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 21/08/2024

Aerial view of Dubrovnik old town. If I was sufficiently interested in planning I’d make some shrewd or witty observation about what it represents as an exemplar of…. summat... But really, it was a lovely place to wander around on a day out, if quite touristy.

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 16/08/2024

A new low in my media profiling as I steal a Tesco advertising slogan in a quote for a Times article about roof extensions. www.thetimes.com/article/acdc...

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 12/08/2024

My dubious utterances appear in today’s @thetimes.com in a piece that wades through green belt, grey belt, housing targets and benchmark land values. Oh what a time to be alive…. www.thetimes.com/article/1a56... (£)

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 11/08/2024

Belated posting of this vista of Lords from Friday: lovely afternoon and evening courtesy of Berkeley Homes. Good company, hospitality and a bit of cricket too!

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Matthew Spry @mspry.bsky.social · 10/08/2024

‘Inside the Great British sell off’ - some back-of-an-envelope analysis from Lichfields and bleedingly obvious comment from me for @thetimes.com on the 130,000 new homes capacity of empty government buildings and unused land www.thetimes.com/article/4533... (£)

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