On 12 December the Government published the new NPPF which introduces some of the most significant changes to English planning rules in recent years.
Forming a key part of the promised ‘blitz’ of our planning system, it is pro-development and includes a reversal of many changes introduced by the previous Government in 2023. The most significant changes are geared towards helping the Government’s ambitious house-building plans
Below are the headline points:
- Local planning authorities (LPAs) are required to meet their identified housing need, and reference to ‘exceptional circumstances’ which previously might have justified a reduction has been removed.
- Changes have been made to the ‘standard methodology’ formula used to calculate housing targets which has generally resulted in higher requirements in the south-east. For most LPAs in the south-east this will result in increased housing targets, for example:
| LPA | Previous Housing Target (dwellings per annum) | New Housing Target* (dwellings per annum) |
| Adur | 449 | 558 |
| Arun | 1342 | 1476 |
| Brighton & Hove | 2319 | 2498 |
| Canterbury | 1141 | 1216 |
| Chichester | 760 | 1305 |
| Crawley | 476 | 654 |
| Dover | 559 | 746 |
| East Hampshire | 575 | 1142 |
| Eastleigh | 645 | 922 |
| Elmbridge | 653 | 1562 |
| Epsom & Ewell | 569 | 889 |
| Fareham | 498 | 800 |
| Folkestone & Hythe | 735 | 859 |
| Guildford | 743 | 1170 |
| Hastings | 490 | 710 |
| Horsham | 917 | 1357 |
| Lewes | 777 | 853 |
| Maidstone | 1220 | 1358 |
| Mid Sussex | 1039 | 1356 |
| Mole Valley | 460 | 833 |
| New Forest | 729 | 1501 |
| Rother | 727 | 932 |
| Runnymede | 546 | 626 |
| Sevenoaks | 704 | 1149 |
| Surrey Heath | 320 | 684 |
| Tandridge | 634 | 843 |
| Tonbridge & Malling | 820 | 1096 |
| Tunbridge Wells | 660 | 1098 |
| Waverley | 710 | 1481 |
| Wealden | 1186 | 1433 |
*subject to transitionary arrangements
- LPAs must undertake a green belt review where they are unable to meet their identified development needs. Priority should be given to previously developed land, then ‘grey belt’ land which is land that does not strongly contribute to green belt purposes, then other Green Belt land.
- New measures introduced aimed at strengthening cross-boundary working between local authorities.
- Gives ‘significant weight’ to the benefits associated with renewable and low carbon energy generation and suggests that LPAs should consider identifying suitable areas for such development when producing plans.
- Emphasises that the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change should be considered in preparing and assessing planning applications.
Clearly more changes are needed if the Government is to succeed in its house building plans. Ultimately these still rely on the private sector to deliver, better resourced planning authorities and changes to the way in which decisions are made to speed up plan making.
If you would like to find out more please get in touch with our planning team.
Offices in Battle, Haywards Heath, Pulborough and Tunbridge Wells.
