The Government has released its response to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) consultation and reintroduces much needed mandatory targets, permits more land to be allocated through a new definition of grey belt and introduces golden rules for the use of greenbelt, which at first glance may see larger sites delivered due to the associated costs.

These changes are vital in stepping up the challenge of building 300,000 homes a year and ensuring we one day have a parliamentary term where 1.5million homes can be built and industry might particularly welcome the stick of central government intervention if councils continue to avoid making or updating local plans.

The Government also announced that:

Brownfield land will be viewed as the first port of call for delivery, with ‘Brownfield Passports’ to be further consulted on.

Councils will get £100million to update and review their local plans.

Developers must provide the necessary infrastructure for local communities, such as nurseries, GP surgeries and transport, as well as a premium level of social and affordable housing, when delivering on the greenbelt.

It is positive to see the Government stand by their density ambition, reintroduction of council boundary cooperate, mandatory housing targets and five year land supplies making a return. And it is correct for them to delay spatial planning, as we would first need a strategic framework. 

Hopefully Brownfield Passports don’t end up like underused Local Development Orders (LDO) and opposition to density because they could make the most of public land and speed up planning, rather than merely being used to deliver residential development for big partners, such as the Big 10 builders. 

Thankfully, they are also taking some more time to think about benchmarking land values, as that appeared a very divisive and undeliverable idea.

However; planning conditions discharge fees are set to rise, without any indication that their abuse will be limited. When they became individually chargeable they went from from ten to up forty.. The announcement that planning fees are also set to rise, without any announcement of recourse if services are poor, will worry some. And finally, the NFB’s campaign for a medium sized site to fit between minor and major continues, as the Government did nothing to reform the NPPF section on small sites. 

It has also not mandated councils to deliver just 10% of their allocated sites as small, which begs the question, what is there for SMEs?

The review has taken us into a more positive planning place but unfortunately it remains crumbs for SMEs and a long way to go to hit that 370,000 new homes a year target. Coupled with the fact that planning committee reform is proposed to give delegated powers to allocated sites, leaving windfall at the mercy of local committees is problematic, particularly as many local plans meet forty to fifty percent of their housing targets with windfall sites.

Rumours are, a second review is coming in 2025; which in the HBA’s view is desperately needed.

Rico Wojtulewicz. Head of Policy and Market Insight for the NFB