At this stage, it is only a draft and no weight can be afforded to it in the making of planning decisions, but authorities drafting new style plans under the Levelling up and Regeneration Act should use it as guidance.
Structurally, the NPPF has seen significant revision to provide greater clarity as to what comprises guidance for plan making or policies for decision making. It also codifies the level of weight that should be given to a wider number of issues. For example, it now confirms that substantial weight should be given to proposals which achieve the following:
- improves the energy efficiency of existing buildings
- good design
- economic benefits of commercial development, etc.
This will provide greater certainty of what issues can be brought to bear when assessing applications which may otherwise be acceptable or unacceptable.
It now sets out guidance in relation to the new Local Plan system, which will sweep away existing Development Plan Documents, replacing these with Spatial Development Strategies (imminently being introduced in law by the Planning & Infrastructure Bill) and new style Local Plans. It also confirms that decision making policies set out within the NPPF will now comprise National Development Management Policies (NDMP’s), which new Local Plans should avoid replicating. Some of the NDMP’s are similar to policies set out in the 2024 NPPF, others are very different and will require careful review.
To speed up decision making, it provides further clarity on what the Government expect Local Authorities to do outside and inside settlement boundaries. These are fundamentally important and should be read in full, but, in summary:
- All proposals which accord with an up-to-date Local Plan should be approved without delay.
- All proposals within settlement boundaries should be approved unless the adverse effects would be outweighed by the negatives when considering the NPPF as a whole, with specific reference to where a development may prejudice delivery of a wider development, or where it would impact on open space, Local Green Spaces, habitat sites, and policies for development within residential curtilages.
- Only certain forms of development should be approved in the countryside, including land allocated for that purpose, or in circumstances where there is an unmet need, for example, where a Council is failing to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply or is providing 75% or less of required housing delivery in accordance with the Housing Delivery Test.
Spatial Development Strategies will be responsible for setting housing need figures, based on a housing need assessment that establishes the overall number of homes needed in the area as a minimum over the plan period, using the Standard Method.
A further significant change is the requirement that Local Authorities seek higher densities around train stations. For schemes within a reasonable walking distance of a railway station, a density of at least 40 dwellings per hectare should be expected, or for a “well-connected railway station” (defined by the NPPF) at least 50 dph. In addition to this, there is a new presumption in favour of granting permission for housing located within walking distance to well-connected railway stations and that includes land within the countryside and the Green Belt (even in circumstances where it is not categorised as Grey Belt).
This is a short summary as it will take several weeks to reflect on these changes, further summaries will follow and we will no doubt be covering the draft NPPF and the new Plan making system at our seminars. If you would like a focussed briefing on implications for specific South-East authorities, station‑adjacent sites, or Green Belt/“grey belt” opportunities under the emerging framework, we can provide a tailored note assessing the new policies against local plan status and land supply positions. Comments can be made on the draft NPPF until 10 March 2026.
DMH Stallard’s expert planning lawyers and consultants have the knowledge to help you comply with planning regulations. Contact the team today by email or call +44(0)3333 231580.
