NPPF consultation briefing notes on terms

1 NPPF consultation closes 24 September 2024
2 Key terms and adjustments in the consultation
3 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] NPPF consultation closes 24 September 2024

On Tuesday, 30 July 2024, the current Labour Government announced proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation closed on Tuesday, 24 September 2024. A number of terms were referred to within the NPPF consultation, some with further details due to be released; these are outlined in the following article subheadings.

Further details with brief notes and all 106 consultation questions can be found in the article consultation on proposed reforms to NPPF and other changes to the planning system. This is the original open consultation Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system were last updated on August 2, 2024, and responses can be made via Citizen Space.

[edit] Key terms and adjustments in the consultation

The proposed changes to the NPPF are intended to be made immediately and are considered vital to delivering the government’s commitments to achieve economic growth and build 1.5 million new homes. Key terms and changes are described in brief here:

[edit] Urban uplift adjustment

Removing the need for specific urban adjustment or urban uplift (of 35%) by distributing growth to a wider range of urban areas, working together across wider regions to accommodate needs, strengthening the Duty to Cooperate requirement, and introducing effective new mechanisms for cross-boundary strategic planning. See urban uplift

[edit] Standard method for assessment of housing need

A new standard method for assessment of housing needs to be mandatory, with a local authority plan for the resulting figure; lower figures are accepted only with demonstration of hard constraints and all other options exhausted. To support an ambitious government commitment of 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament. For further historical information see Housing and economic needs assessment and more recently Research Briefing: Calculating housing need in the planning system (England). Published Tuesday, 12 March, 2024.

[edit] Localised design codes

Replacing character and density restrictions with a focus on localised design codes, masterplans, and guides for areas of most change and potential: regeneration sites, areas of intensification, urban extensions, and the development of large new communities supporting efficient use of land at appropriate densities. See also National Design Guide and National Model Design Code.

[edit] Introducing brownfield pasports

Broadening the existing definition of brownfield land, set a strengthened expectation that applications on brownfield land will be approved and that plans should promote an uplift in density in urban areas. See also brownfield passports.

[edit] Redefining grey belt land

Grey belt definition adjusted to include land in the green belt comprising previously developed land (PDL) and any other parcels and/or areas that make a limited contribution to the five green belt purposes. Identify grey belt land within the green belt to be brought forward into the planning system first through both planning and decision-making to meet development needs. See also Grey Belt and Brownfield Land.

[edit] Presumption favouring sustainable development

Improve the operation of ‘the presumption’ in favour of sustainable development to ensure it acts as an effective failsafe to support housing supply by clarifying the circumstances in which it applies and introducing new safeguards to make clear that its application cannot justify poor quality development. See also sustainable development and sustainable communities.

[edit] New golden rules for the release of land

The Labour government describes their policy to deliver affordable, well-designed homes, with new golden rules for land released in the Green Belt to ensure it delivers in the public interest. The government has committed to introducing golden rules to ensure that major development on land released from the Green Belt benefits both communities and nature to ensure public benefit. They are described thus:

In the provision of housing, at least 50% affordable housing, with an appropriate proportion being social rent, subject to viability. Improvements to local or national infrastructure, including delivery of new schools, GP surgeries, transport links, care homes, and nursery places, to deliver well-designed, connected places, recognising local leaders as best placed to identify the infrastructure that their communities need. Provision of new, or improvements to existing, local green spaces that are accessible to the public—where residential development is involved, new residents should be able to access good-quality green spaces within a short walk of their homes, whether through onsite provision or through access to offsite facilities.

[edit] Benchmark land values, limited viability assessments and late-stage reviews

The government sets benchmark land values to be used in viability assessments, a premium above existing use. that reflects the need for policy delivery against the golden rules. Not to seek higher contributions, such as affordable housing, but also not accept lower with late-stage reviews where additional contributions may be secured.

[edit] Local Authority led mix of affordable housing and social rental

Make wider changes to ensure that local planning authorities are able to prioritise the types of affordable homes their communities need on all housing development and that the planning system supports a more diverse housebuilding sector.

[edit] Decent Homes Standard for the rented sectors

The government will consult on a new Decent Homes Standard for the rental sectors. See Measures to ensure decent homes for all. The consultation, which will launch as soon as possible, will look to ensure safe, secure housing is the standard people can expect in both social housing and private rented properties. For further informaton, background, changes and history see the article Decent Homes Standard.

[edit] Modern economy infrastructure as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs)

Changing the wording of the NPPF to be more inclusive and in support of modern economies, key growth industries aligned with the government’s industrial strategy and future local growth plans, including laboratories, gigafactories, data centres, digital economies, and freight and logistics. The government also wants to test whether it should go further by enabling digital infrastructure projects to opt into the NSIP regime.

[edit] Community needs and healthy places

Significant weight should be placed on the importance of facilitating new, expanded, or upgraded public service infrastructure when considering proposals for development and new references to post-16 education places and early year places.

[edit] Vision-led transport planning not predict and provide

Challenging the default assumption of automatic traffic growth, where places are designed for a ‘worst case’ peak hour scenario. Working with residents, local planning authorities, and developers to set a vision for how communities want places to be and designing the transport and behavioural interventions to help achieve this vision. This approach is known as ‘vision-led’ transport planning, and, unlike the traditional ‘predict and provide’ approach, it focusses on the outcomes desired and planning for achieving them.

[edit] Brininging on-shore wind and some solar into NSIPs

Consult on bringing onshore wind back into the NSIP regime. To fulfil this commitment, this consultation therefore proposes that onshore wind be reintegrated into the NSIP regime. Set the threshold at which onshore wind projects are determined as nationally significant at 100 MW and increase the threshold at which solar projects are determined as nationally significant to 150 MW.

[edit] Renewables and low carbon energy generation

Give significant weight to the benefits associated with renewable and low-carbon energy generation and proposals’ contribution to meeting a net zero future, increasing the likelihood of local planning authorities granting permission to renewable energy schemes and contributing to reaching zero carbon electricity generation by 2030.