There were some very encouraging announcements yesterday, all supporting the new Labour Government’s proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Standard Method of Housing.
Key amongst these was the need to increase the supply of new homes in England to meet the Government’s 1.5m. homes target, equivalent to 300,000 homes a year. This is in contrast to the current projection of delivery which is below 200,000 homes a year, with just over 100,000 affordable.
As expected, there was a new definition of Grey Belt introduced into the NPPF, which helps define potential areas including edges of towns, next to roads, and former petrol stations or car parks. There is also the inclusion of 'exceptional circumstances’ to allow for instances where an authority cannot meet its identified need for residential and commercial development - promoting the release of previously developed sites, followed by Grey Belt before the most sustainable locations in the Green Belt.
We also heard that the NPPF continues to encourage sustainable economic growth , outlining plans for identifying strategic sites, aligned to anticipated need. It also stated the importance of growth and the economy supported by appropriate sites for commercial development, including logistics, laboratories, infrastructure and freight. Along with enhanced support for storage and distribution centres to support supply chain transport innovation.
So... with planning reforms at the centre of the Governments growth led agenda, we can expect to see changes in the current planning system which we know from our own experience has led to slow decision making and delays in the delivery of many schemes. We are anticipating more to come, including the Planning and Infrastructure Bill along with announcements on strategic planning and the first round of New Towns designations, which should further support growth and new development.
Building on our existing wealth of experience, we will be reviewing the NPPF further along with new policy as it emerges, to ensure we are able to advise our clients on the key issues relating to development, infrastructure provision and transport implications to ensure we support the delivery of sustainable transport solutions from masterplannign, planning support through to detailed design. This approach is embedded across the business and the breadth of sectors we work within.
The NPPF is available for public consultation until 24th September 2024.
