Designed to follow up on the “urgent revisions” finalised in December 2024, and subsequent measures such as pushing the Planning and Infrastructure Bill forward, the government published a consultation into changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, NPPF, on 17 December.  We are told that “taken together, these reforms represent a truly seismic re-gearing of the system”.

The objectives of the changes to the NPPF are to: ensure national planning policy is accessible and understandable; establish a comprehensive suite of national policies on general planning matters which will apply across the country; and make the policy which it contains more rules-based and certain.  The aims sitting behind the objectives are boosting housing supply, facilitating commercial development that supports growth and improving the approach to climate change, environmental protections and heritage assets.  

It is proposed that the NPPF be restructured, both in terms of how it is ordered and how each policy is identified.  The result is a document more akin to a local plan.  Introductory text and high-level objectives are moved to the introduction, followed by chapters on plan making policies, decision making policies and then chapters on particular topics commencing which sustainable development and climate change in light of their importance.  Each policy, and each paragraph within it, is to be separately numbered.

The twelve most significant reforms are identified as:

A permanent presumption in favour of suitably located development;

Building homes around stations

Driving urban and suburban densification

Securing a diverse mix of homes

Supporting small and medium sites

Streamlining local standards

Boosting local and regional economies

Supporting critical and growth minerals

Embedding a vision-led approach to transport

Better addressing climate change

Conserving and enhancing the natural environment

Taking a more positive approach to the use of heritage assets

It seems sensible to take a more strategic approach to transport planning, to encourage small and medium size housebuilders and facilitate delivery, to build more densely in appropriate locations.  The changes are clearly development positive but there will be controversy.  In principle support for development around train stations even outside of existing settlements and in the green belt is one such example. 

There is a lot to read and digest.  Luckily it does not all need to be done over Christmas.  The consultation closes at 11.45pm on 10 March 2026.

If you'd like assistance in relation to the issues raised please do contact Janine Shaw at jshaw@ortolan.com