- John Baggott
Consultation on Changes to National Planning Policy
A Government consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) commenced just prior to Christmas on 22nd December 2022, and is open for comment until 2nd March 2023. The consultation document sets out specific changes that the Government proposes to make to the NPPF to support its wider objectives which are stated as including to make the planning system ‘work better for communities’.
The majority of proposed changes are focused upon matters of housing supply and delivery, including the often vexed issue of 5-year housing land supply. The consultation includes, but is not restricted to, such matters as:
- Whether or not local planning authorities with an up-to-date local plan should maintain a 5-year housing land supply;
- The removal of buffers from the 5-year housing land supply calculations;
- Alternative approaches for assessing local housing needs;
- Consideration of building densities in relation to an existing area in assessing whether housing need can be met;
- Factoring-in past over-supply of new housing; and
- No requirement to review or alter the Green Belt when making Development Plans.
Other matters include amendments to support the supply of specialist older people's housing; community-led development; measures to further encourage well-designed and beautiful development; support for renewal energy, in particular wind power; and consideration of the food production potential of agricultural land.
According to the consultation document, a ‘fuller review’ of the NPPF will be undertaken in due course. A link to the current NPPF consultation can be found below:
