England · National documents
Planning obligations
Explains planning obligations, their relationship with permission and conditions, and the tests governing their use.
AI-generated summaries of the linked official sources; not editorially reviewed. Sources and limits
Where this document applies
England: relevance depends on the proposal, site and planning process.
Planning obligations (official source, opens in a new tab) · What are planning obligations?; When can planning obligations be sought? (paragraphs 001–002)
An obligation must address the development’s impact
Obligations can be agreed with the authority or offered through a unilateral undertaking. The guidance sets tests of necessity, direct relationship to the development and fair scale and kind; an undertaking cannot bind an authority that is not a party to it.
Read the official source (official source, opens in a new tab) · What are planning obligations?; When can planning obligations be sought? (paragraphs 001–002)
Limits and checks
- This national source does not establish the local policies, designations or site facts that apply to an individual proposal.
- Some guidance predates the August 2026 Framework and may refer to earlier policy numbering. Read it with the current Framework and any applicable transition provisions.
Read alongside this document
Put the national source in your local context
Start with the exact refusal reason. Note the policy and paragraph it cites, then check your authority’s policy summary and the facts discussed in relevant appeal decisions. Each appeal turns on its own facts and does not predict another outcome.