National Planning Policy Framework

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NOMA, a proposed mixed-use development in central Manchester. NOMA Manchester CGI overview.jpg
NOMA, a proposed mixed-use development in central Manchester.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is a land-use planning policy in England. It was originally published by the UK's Department of Communities and Local Government in March 2012, consolidating over two dozen previously issued documents called Planning Policy Statements (PPS) and Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPG) for use in England. It has since been revised in 2018, 2019, 2021, twice in 2023 and once in 2024. The live version is from December 2024.

Contents

As well as sweeping away the 1997–2010 Labour government's top-down housing targets and regional planning strategies in conjunction with the Localism Act 2011, the NPPF introduced a presumption in favour of sustainable development at the heart of the English planning system, which encourages local planning authorities to plan positively for new development, and approve all individual proposals wherever possible. The other core principles of the framework are of a genuinely plan-led system, empowering local people to shape their surroundings, and seeking high quality design and standards.

History

An outline of proposed reforms to the British planning system was published in a policy green paper by the Conservative Party in February 2010 prior to that year's general election. It included integrating the principal features of all national planning policies into one document to make the many existing guidance documents clearer and more priority focused. [1]

Following the formation of the Coalition government, on 20 December 2010, the Minister for Decentralisation, Greg Clark MP, announced a review of planning policy, designed to consolidate all policy statements, circulars and guidance documents into a single, simpler National Planning Policy Framework. [2]

A consultation draft of the NPPF was subsequently published on 25 July 2011 which raised a large number of responses and concerns from national organisations such as the National Trust. [3]

The final original version was published on 27 March 2012. Despite the pledge for a national policy of only fifty pages, the NPPF was released as a 65-page document, [4] together with a 27-page Technical Guidance document, [5] though this was still a large reduction from the previous guidance of over 1,300 pages. Local planning authorities were given a 12-month transition period to ensure their plans were compliant with the new NPPF. [6]

A revised NPPF was published by the UK Government's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 24 July 2018. This is the first revision of the National Planning Policy Framework since 2012. It implements around 85 reforms announced previously through the Housing White Paper, the planning for the right homes in the right places consultation and the draft revised National Planning Policy Framework consultation. [7] The revised NPPF has since been updated on 19 February 2019 following a technical consultation to redefine deliverable housing. [7] On 23 May 2019 the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government issued a Written Ministerial Statement to remove paragraph 209a from the revised National Planning Policy Framework following a legal judgement.

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Achieving sustainable development
  3. Plan-making
  4. Decision-making
  5. Delivering a sufficient supply of homes
  6. Building a strong, competitive economy
  7. Ensuring the vitality of town centres
  8. Promoting healthy and safe communities
  9. Promoting sustainable transport
  10. Supporting high quality communications
  11. Making effective use of land
  12. Achieving well-designed places
  13. Protecting Green Belt land
  14. Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change
  15. Conserving and enhancing the natural environment
  16. Conserving and enhancing the historic environment
  17. Facilitating the sustainable use of minerals

Heritage protection

A heritage statement is a written statement accompanying a planning application or a listed building consent application which outlines the heritage significance of the building or other asset affected by the application, the potential impact of the planning proposal on the asset and the means by which the undesirable impacts on the asset will be mitigated. [8]

Heritage statements became compulsory in March 2010 when Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 5, Planning for the Historic Environment was published. This requirement was repeated within paragraph 128 of the NPPF. [9] PPS5 was cancelled on 25 March 2015 and replaced with Historic Environment good practice advice. [10]

Criticisms

Archaeology

The potential negative impact of the NPPF on UK archaeology has been heavily debated, with archaeologists noting that there is likely to be considerable tension between the immediate-term impacts of the process of government deregulation in the NPPF and the medium-term impacts of another key government priority – its localism agenda as enshrined in the Localism Act of 2011, which places much greater planning control in the hands of local communities. The NPPF is likely to encourage development through its streamlined planning system, but the Localism Act of 2011 is equally likely to stall development through its commitment to local communities having a greater say in what is (and crucially is not) built in their neighbourhood, a process likely to block many developments. [11]

Environment

Friends of the Earth (FOE) has criticised the NPPF revisions for lack of environmental review, in that it makes it "virtually impossible" for councils to refuse fracking schemes, that it fails to address the problems in coal developments or on building within green belts, and that it introduces harsh rules for wind farms. [12] In 2018, FOE argued that as the United Kingdom was still part of the European Union, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) was required as part of the revision of a public plan. [12] Also in 2018, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) raised concerns about the extreme streamlining of the revised NPPF, indicating that it treated land as a commodity, rather than as a finite resource. CPRE said Planning is pointless if the outcomes it delivers would be little different from what would happen without a planning system. [12] [13]

Planning Practice Guidance

Publication of the NPPF has been followed by the release of a wide range of online Planning Practice Guidance. [14] As of 2019, the guidance extended to over fifty categories covering a wide range of subjects including Green Belt, Light Pollution, and Viability. The amount of guidance in circulation has grown significantly in recent years meaning the volume of government planning advice is similar to what existed prior to the introduction of the NPPF. Unlike the more infrequent changes to the NPPF, much of the most recent practice guidance has been issued without prior consultation or advance notification with new policy requirements increasingly being expressed through guidance updates.

2020 planning reforms

In 2020, a series of far reaching changes to Permitted Development rights and the Use Classes Order were introduced, effectively superseding a number of key NPPF provisions. The relevant statutory instruments were laid before parliament the day before the summer recess and were to come into force the day before parliament reconvened. On 27 August 2020, campaign group Rights: Community: Action applied for a judicial review of the statutory instruments on the basis that the changes introduced were unlawful citing a lack of scrutiny, consultation or impact assessments as well as a failure of the government to take account of its own independent experts. [15] The judicial review was ultimately unsuccessful. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green belt (United Kingdom)</span> British urban planning policy to maintain countryside around cities

In British town planning, the green belt is a policy for controlling urban growth. The term, coined by Octavia Hill in 1875, refers to a ring of countryside where urbanisation will be resisted for the foreseeable future, maintaining an area where local food growing, forestry and outdoor leisure can be expected to prevail. The fundamental aim of green belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently green, and consequently the most important attribute of green belts is their openness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Listed building</span> Protected historic structure in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, Cadw in Wales, and the Historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland. The classification schemes differ between England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The term has also been used in the Republic of Ireland, where buildings are protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000, although the statutory term in Ireland is "protected structure".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CPRE</span> Charity in England

CPRE, The Countryside Charity, formerly known by names such as the Council for the Preservation of Rural England and the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity in England with over 40,000 members and supporters. Formed in 1926 by Patrick Abercrombie to limit urban sprawl and ribbon development, the CPRE claims to be one of the longest running environmental groups in the UK. CPRE campaigns for a "sustainable future" for the English countryside. They state it is "a vital but undervalued environmental, economic and social asset to the nation." They aim to "highlight threats and promote positive solutions." They campaign using their own research to lobby the public and all levels of government.

Town and country planning in the United Kingdom is the part of UK land law which concerns land use planning. Its goal is to ensure sustainable economic development and a better environment. Each country of the United Kingdom has its own planning system that is responsible for town and country planning, which outside of England is devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd.

Neighborhood planning is a form of urban planning through which professional urban planners and communities seek to shape new and existing neighborhoods. It can denote the process of creating a physical neighborhood plan, for example via participatory planning, or an ongoing process through which neighborhood affairs are decided.

Regional spatial strategies (RSS) provided regional level planning frameworks for the regions of England outside London. They were introduced in 2004. Their revocation was announced by the new Conservative/Liberal Democrat government on 6 July 2010.

In the United Kingdom, Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPG) were statements of the Government's national policy and principles towards certain aspects of the town planning framework. They were material considerations in the determination of planning applications. Under the provisions of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, PPGs were gradually being replaced by Planning Policy Statements (PPS). In recent years prior to their withdrawal they applied to England only.

Planning Policy Statements (PPS) were UK government statements of national policy and principles towards certain aspects of the town planning framework. In recent years they only applied to England. However, they still exist within the Northern Irish System.

Best Value was government policy in the United Kingdom affecting the provision of public services in England. In Wales, Best Value is known as the Wales Programme for Improvement. A statutory duty of Best Value also applies in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Local development framework</span>

A local development framework is the spatial planning strategy introduced in England and Wales by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and given detail in Planning Policy Statements 12. In most parts of the two countries, maintaining the framework is the responsibility of English district councils and Welsh principal area councils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Development plan</span> UK local land use planning

A development plan sets out a local authority's policies and proposals for land use in their area. The term is usually used in the United Kingdom. A local plan is one type of development plan. The development plan guides and shapes day-to-day decisions as to whether or not planning permission should be granted, under the system known as development control. In order to ensure that these decisions are rational and consistent, they must be considered against the development plan adopted by the authority, after public consultation and having proper regard for other material factors.

Development Management (DM), formerly known as planning control, or development control, is the element of the United Kingdom's system of town and country planning through which local government or the Secretary of State, regulates land use and new building, i.e. development. It relies on a "plan-led system" whereby development plans are produced, involving various stages of public consultation prior to being adopted. Subsequently, development that requires planning permission, which is granted or refused with reference to the development plan as the starting point, then other material considerations are taken into account.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Permitted Development Order</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Town and Country Planning (England) Order 2015 is a statutory instrument, applying in England, that grants planning permission for certain types of development without the requirement for approval from the local planning authority.

Minerals Planning Guidance Notes (MPGs) were statements of the British government’s policy on minerals and planning issues and provide advice and guidance to local authorities and the minerals industry on policies and the operation of the planning system with regard to minerals.

The New Approach to Appraisal was the name given to a multi-criteria decision framework used to appraise transport projects and proposals in the United Kingdom. NATA was built on the well established cost–benefit analysis and environmental impact assessment techniques for assessing transport projects and proposals.

A flood risk assessment (FRA) is an assessment of the risk of flooding from all flooding mechanisms, the identification of flood mitigation measures and should provide advice on actions to be taken before and during a flood. The sources of water which produce floods include: groundwater, surface water, artificial water, sewers and drains, seawater.

Town and country planning in Wales is based on the land use planning system which applies in England. However, the system in Wales has some distinctive features which have arisen because substantial responsibility for town and country planning has been devolved to the Welsh Government (WAG). In particular, Wales now has a Spatial Plan and Welsh Ministers have a duty under the Government of Wales Act 2006 to promote sustainable development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nationally significant infrastructure project</span> Major infrastructure developments in England and Wales

In England and Wales, a nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) is a major infrastructure development that bypasses normal local planning requirements. These include proposals for power plants, large renewable energy projects, new airports and airport extensions, and major road and rail projects. The NSIP nomenclature began to be used in 2008, and since April 2012 these projects have been managed by the Planning Inspectorate.

Building for Life, Building for Life 12, Adeliladu am Oes 12 Cymru and Building for a Healthy Life are design tools for improving the quality of new homes and neighbourhoods used across England and Wales. The current version in use in England is Building for a Healthy Life .

Low-impact development (LID) has been defined as "development which through its low negative environmental impact either enhances or does not significantly diminish environmental quality".

References

  1. ↑ Conservative Party (22 February 2010). "Green Paper – Open Source Planning". Issuu . Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  2. ↑ Matheson, Andrew. "National Planning Policy Framework (England)". Royal Town Planning Institute. Archived from the original on 9 June 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  3. ↑ Hope, Christopher; Winnett, Robert (14 November 2011). "Hands Off Our Land: stop this planning free-for-all, National Trust warns". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 November 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  4. ↑ "National Planning Policy Framework". Communities and Local Government. Archived from the original on 19 June 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  5. ↑ Technical Guidance to the National Planning Policy Framework. 27 March 2012. ISBN   9781409834106. Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  6. ↑ Milne, Roger (28 March 2012). "National Planning Policy Framework unveiled". Planning Portal. Archived from the original on 1 June 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Revised National Planning Policy Framework". GOV.UK. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  8. ↑ Historic England, Working With Us, accessed 17 March 2020
  9. ↑ Blackpool Council, Heritage Statement Guidance, accessed 14 November 2023
  10. ↑ Designing Buildings: Conservation Wiki, Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment, edited 18 January 2021, accessed 14 November 2023
  11. ↑ Flatman, Joe; Perring, Dominic (2012). "The National Planning Policy Framework and Archaeology: A Discussion". Papers from the Institute of Archaeology . 22: 4–10. doi: 10.5334/pia.390 .
  12. 1 2 3 Laker, Laura (4 September 2018). "Government faces court action over 'illegal' planning policy". Archived from the original on 4 September 2018.
  13. ↑ "Full CPRE response to National Planning Policy Framework consultation". The Campaign to Protect Rural England. 2018. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018.
  14. ↑ Planning practice guidance, gov.uk, undated
  15. ↑ "Planning: Judicial Review claim issued". 27 August 2020.
  16. ↑ "Campaigners lose bid to halt planning reform". www.theconstructionindex.co.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
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