ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪt, ðə jˌuːkˈeɪ ɡˈʌvɚnmənt pˈʌblɪʃt ɪts sˈɛntɹəl plˈænɪŋ ɡˈaɪdəns plˈænɪŋ pˈɑːlɪsi stˈeɪtmənt plˈænɪŋ ænd klˈaɪmət tʃˈeɪndʒ pˌiːpˌiːˈɛs wˈʌn ðæt ɹᵻkwˈaɪɚz ˈɔːl jˌuːkˈeɪ lˈoʊkəl plˈænɪŋ ɐθˈɔːɹɪɾiz tʊ ɐdˈɑːpt ˈeɪ "mˈɜːtən ɹˈuːl" pˈɑːlɪsi.
In 2008, the UK government published its central planning guidance Planning Policy Statement – Planning and Climate Change – PPS1 that requires all UK local planning authorities to adopt a "Merton rule" policy.