Developers are facing a lengthy hiatus in getting planning decisions made after the government said it will definitely not extend emergency powers brought in last year allowing councils to hold virtual planning meetings.

The powers, brought in via regulations under the 2020 Coronavirus Act, expressly allowed councils to hold virtual meetings, ensuring that decisions taken on online planning committees were safe from legal challenge.

The change, widely seen as a huge success, allowed the planning system to carry on functioning under lockdown measures brought in to halt the spread of covid-19.

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