National Planning Policy Framework Consultation Sets Scene for More Housing

The government has published a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Consultation in a bid to build more housing.

The rewrite of planning rules sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these should be applied.

National Planning Policy Framework Consultation

The new changes published on 16 December aim to optimise land use through well-designed, higher-density development, simplified biodiversity rules for smaller sites – and fast-track housing projects.

The government is proposing the new rules override conflicting policies from day one.

It follows changes made to the Framework last December which restored mandatory housing targets, the brownfield-first approach, and rules to allow the release of ‘grey belt’ land for new homes and infrastructure. Critics, including CPRE, have alleged ‘grey belt’ remains undefined and in practice has been interpreted as green belt land by planning departments.

Default permission for homes being built around railway stations, and homes building upwards in urban areas expected to unlock a potential 1.8 million homes were already announced.

Expressions of interest are being invited from local authorities to create pattern books of standardised housing designs.

Other measures include data centres co-located near energy sites to have a single planning route for approvals to accelerate permissions.

Plans for elected councillors to focus on the most significant proposals, whilst smaller housing projects will be decided by expert trained planners will go ahead.

Biodiversity Net Gain Reforms

The proposals include Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) reforms, such as exemptions for smaller sites up to 0.2 hectares and residential brownfield development of up to 2.5 hectares. They will also allow delivering BNG offsite.

Planning Reforms in 2026

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will become law before Christmas.

A full consultation response and implementation timeline is expected to be published in the new year. A consultation response on implementing BNG for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) will go live in May 2026.

The government will publish its response to the May consultation on planning and to consult further on draft regulations for a National Scheme of Delegation in early 2026.

Next, the Building Safety Levy comes into effect in October 2026 to help pay for cladding remediation.

INDUSTRY COMMENT

Wary of Grey Belt

Roger Mortlock, CPRE Chief Executive, said: “We are wary of any automatic green light for development in the countryside, including in the Green Belt where the government’s ill-defined “grey belt” policy isn’t working. Our research shows that the vast majority of new homes approved on ‘grey belt’ sites will be built on unspoilt countryside, not the disused petrol stations and car parks the government promised last year.”

Greater Confidence

Dan Mitchell, Partner at Marrons, said: “For the first time, the draft NPPF introduces greater clarity between plan-making and decision-making policies. The strengthening of the presumption in favour of sustainable development is of particular importance and will give greater confidence to our clients in bringing forward their schemes in the New Year.

“We also welcome the emphasis on even greater speed in the plan-making process.

“The new NPPF and accompanying updates to the plan-making guidance simplify the steps councils must go through. It represents a continued trend to centralise the planning system in a top-down pattern to growth – leaving local authorities the freedom to choose sites locally.

Positive Push

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “The nation’s small housebuilders need to regain a foothold in the housing market, and the Government planning reforms are a positive push in the right direction to enable this to happen. For medium planning sites the reforms will help SMEs grow their businesses. Getting to the ambitious 1.5million new homes target will require a joint push from the entire housing sector to achieve it and diversification of the housing market will be essential to ensure this happens.”

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