Publication of Draft Planning Practice Guidance

Following publication of the Draft updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for consultation this month, the Government has published Draft Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). It comprises six chapters – Viability, Housing Delivery, Local Housing Need Assessment, Neighbourhood Plans, Plan-making and Build to Rent.

The proposed updated guidance includes, for example, the suggestion that: viability tests should ‘primarily’ be at the plan-making stage; that an action plan should be produced where there is under-delivery of housing numbers to detail the reasons for the shortfall and the steps to be taken to drive up the number of homes delivered; and a neighbourhood plan may propose a different housing need figure to that set out by the local planning authority, but only in ‘exceptional circumstances’ and if it has ‘compelling’ evidence.