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Twenty-six things clerks and local councils should know about the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF):

1. It is the key planning document in England as it sets out the government’s planning policies for the country and how these are expected to be applied.
2. The vast majority of the measures it contains apply straight away.
3. The changes are some of the most significant (and potentially controversial) in recent years and form a key part of the promised ‘blitz’ of English planning rules, including reversing many introduced by the previous government in 2023.
4. It is strategic in nature and much of the detail and its practical implications for local councils will come later.
5. It is pro development, not only in terms of housing but also forms of development such as employment (especially hi-tec), renewable and infrastructure.
6. While there have been some changes made from the draft published for consultation in July 2024, these are limited.
7. It requires local planning authorities (LPAs) to meet their identified housing need, ‘including with an appropriate mix of housing types for the local community’.
8. Makes some further changes to the formula ‘standard methodology’ to identify local authority housing needs published in July. This has generally resulted in higher requirements in London, South East and East of England but falls in other regions compared to the July proposals. The results of the new method can be found here.
9. LPAs should also identify five years of housing supply land, with an additional 20% buffer for areas where there has been significant under-delivery of housing over the last three years.
10. LPAs should undertake a green belt review where they are unable to meet their identified needs for housing, commercial or other development.
11. Establishes the concept of ‘grey belt’ land within the green belt, which is land that does not ‘strongly’ contribute to green belt purposes. Neighbourhood plans are not explicitly affected by the changes.
12. Introduces a few new forms of development that would be appropriate in the Green Belt such as on previously development land in certain circumstances.
13. Neighbourhood plans are not explicitly affected by the changes.
14. Removes the preference in the previous NPPF that local design codes are the primary means for assessing and improving design of development, though still promotes their use.
15. Promotes community-led development including for affordable and self-build housing, as well as renewable energy and low carbon projects.
16. Removes references to beauty and beautiful in relation to high development.
17. Reinforces that brownfield development should be viewed positively.
18. Includes measures aimed at strengthening cross-border strategic working between local authorities.
19. Contains several measures aimed at supporting the provision of affordable housing, especially for social rent.
20. Gives ‘significant weight’ to the benefits associated with renewable and low carbon energy generation and suggests that LPAs should consider identifying suitable areas for such development when producing plans.
21. Emphasises that the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change should be considered in preparing and assessing planning applications.
22. Requires ‘significant weight’ to be placed on the importance of facilitating new, expanded or upgraded public service infrastructure, such as roads, health, prisons, digital, and electricity pylons.
23. Development proposals and allocation of sites should ensure that sustainable transport modes are prioritised.
24. Needs to be seen in the context of other recent planning announcements made by the government, including that they will play a bigger role in the planning system, the commitment to build 1.5 million homes over the lifetime of the parliament, and the development of 32 new towns.
25. The government received about 10,000 responses, including from SLCC and many local councils to the consultation of the draft NPPF.  A report outlining the government’s response to these can be found here. 
26. More information, including a copy of the NPPF, can be found here.