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planning nppf

Government publishes Revised National Planning Policy Framework | July 2018

Q3 2018

The Government has published the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), following consultation on draft revisions in the Spring.

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The new NPPF contains some major changes and clarifications to national planning policy as well as new proactive measures. The Strutt & Parker Planning team have prepared a summary of new content. Key changes include;

Clarification at Chapter 2 on the presumption in favour of sustainable development and how it is applied.

Revisions to Plan-making at Chapter 3 to emphasise the plan-led system, include strategic policies with a new duty for Local Authorities to prepare and maintain statements of common ground to document cross boundary issues.

The updated Planning Practice Guidance accompanying the NPPF confirms that viability is to be tested through the Local Plan. The Government expects developer contributions for planning applications to be in accordance with plan policies, so that they are determined without viability assessments being necessary at the decision making stage.

At Chapter 5, Delivering a Sufficient Supply of Homes, there are new important policies. These include requirements for local authorities to use a standardised methodology for the calculation of local housing need; to undertake a Housing Delivery Test to measure performance and set out actions to boost delivery where necessary; and for 10% of the local housing requirement to be met by small and medium sites. The affordable homes definition has changed to include discount market sales housing or other routes to home ownership. There is a minimum 10% requirement for affordable homeownership on major sites.

At Chapter 13 Protecting the Green Belt the Government’s continued commitment to protection is maintained, with policies in Local Plans to establish any changes to boundaries. Amendments can be made through Neighbourhood Plans. Where it is necessary to change boundaries offsetting the loss could be considered through compensatory improvements.

View our summary