Reflections on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework

Barton Willmore now Stantec has released a new guidance note which focusses on the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), as well as the potential impacts from them.

Just before Christmas, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities published its proposed revisions to the NPPF through a consultation period that will end on 2nd March 2023. The Government advised it will respond to the consultation in Spring 2023, adopting the NPPF revisions as part of this exercise.

This consultation includes details on:

1. Proposed “quick” changes to the National Planning Policy Framework
   
2. The scope of potential future changes to national policy, including National Development Management Policies
3. Options for developing other national planning policy to support ‘Levelling Up’
4. The potential scope of a fuller review of national policy considering the Government’s proposals for wider changes to the planning system, including the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill
5. Other legislative changes that may be brought forward to reform the planning system
6. A table of 58 questions for responses

The note from Barton Willmore now Stantec, available to download here, focusses on the further explaining the proposed changes to the framework, as they are intended to take effect in advance of the other items in the consultation.

On the face of it, the amendments proposed appear modest, but the implication of these changes represents the most significant change to the framework since its first publication in 2012. This includes a substantial watering down of key elements of the framework relating to both decision-making and plan-making. 

Planning Associate Director, at Barton Willmore now Stantec, Joshua Mellor, commented: “The objective to speed up and incentivise plan-making should have been a positive. However, coupled together with the pathways to reduce housing requirements and leave Green Belt boundaries unchanged, there are clear tensions now between plan-making and addressing the national housing crisis.”

If you would like to discuss the content of this consultation with the planning team at Barton Willmore now Stantec in more detail, or are interested in attending an online Q&A seminar with Christopher Young, KC from No5 Chambers, please email louis.richardson@bartonwillmore.co.uk for more information. 

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