National Planning Policy Changes

Published On: October 2nd, 2018Categories: News

houses

The Government released the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on the 24th July 2018. Six years on from the first publication of the NPPF, a tougher test on deliverability and the increased recognition of the contribution of smaller sites may lead to new planning opportunities in rural areas for residential development.

The revised NPPF has put greater pressure on Local Planning Authorities (LPA’s) to demonstrate that they have a five year supply of deliverable housing land. The new definition states that sites with outline planning permission, permission in principle, allocated within the development plan or identified in a brownfield register ‘should only be considered deliverable where there is clear evidence that housing completions will begin on site within 5 years’.

This change will create challenges for LPA’s to find land that can clearly be delivered within the five year period. If they are unable to do so, the overarching principle of sustainable development should take precedence.

LPA’s will also have to identify smaller sites for housing within their Local Plans with at least 10% of their housing requirement on sites of less than one hectare. This could mean that smaller sites in sustainable locations could now be viewed more favourably.

Wilson Fearnall is engaged on a range of residential planning and development related projects and is on hand to advise on the future possibilities that may be brought about by the new NPPF.

Related posts

  • Published On: April 4th, 2017

    The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has announced changes to business rates for solar PV systems and these new rates are set to come in to force in April 2017.

  • Published On: July 29th, 2016

    One of the intentions of the Planning Act 2008 was to make the permitting of major infrastructure projects more straightforward by combing planning consent and the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO)

  • Published On: July 25th, 2016

      The current local electricity distribution network has been supplying North Shropshire with electricity reliably for many years. But with future growth plans in the region planned up to

  • Published On: July 22nd, 2016

    In the energy industry a lot is being said about the development in battery storage technology. After the fall in renewable incentives a lot of focus is being given to

  • Published On: July 11th, 2016

    The economic viability of commercial rooftop solar installations could be severely damaged next year under plans to increase business rates taxes by up to eight times the current levels following

  • Published On: February 11th, 2016

    As at the start of February 2016, many farmers will not have received their 2015 BPS payments.  The RPA is under increasing pressure to make these payments and we