NPPF Update Consultation – Some significant points
As a means of addressing the existing housing deficit, the Labour Government has proposed major changes to national planning policy. These include re-introduction of housing targets with the aim of delivering 1.5 million new homes over the next five years together with revisions to green belt protection.
The mechanism for implementing this agenda will be through updating the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in which a raft of proposed changes has been rolled out for public consultation.
Housing and Infrastructure
In implementing the 1.5 million new homes delivery target, the calculation methodology will be based on updated stock data which is intended to provide a firmer starting point from that previously applied.
It is also emphasised that strategic planning should ensure a consistent approach is taken to provision of connected development infrastructure.
In this respect, the existing duty of Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to cooperate with one another on cross-boundary issues is highlighted under the proposed changes given the generally poor record on this front since the duty was introduced under the Localism Act 2011.
Green Belt
LPAs will be required to review their Green Belt boundaries where they cannot provide evidence of sufficient other land on which new dwellings can be built to meet demand.
For this purpose, what will become applicable is a new “Grey Belt” definition which covers land that has been previously developed and which makes a limited contribution to the purposes of the Green Belt.
Where a LPA deems it necessary to release Green Belt land for development, the proposals require that consideration should first be given to brownfield land followed by Grey Belt land in sustainable locations, and only then having applied that sequential test can other sustainable Green Belt sites be considered.
Land released in the Green Belt will also be subject to the normally applicable “acceptable in planning terms” tests including delivery of policy required affordable housing and the building of allied infrastructure namely roadways, schools etc
The Way Forward
There are many other proposed reforms set out in the NPPF consultation document but it could be argued that the above are the most significant in strategic policy terms.
The consultation period closed on 24 September 2024 with the Government indicating recently that it would need some time to consider the many responses received. Given, however, the importance of planning law reform as a central plank in the Government’s growth agenda there was a statement in the Budget Document published on 30 October 2024 that a full response would be provided to the consultation by the end of 2024. What eventually emerges remains to be seen.
