Hundreds of thousands of new homes will be built under “the biggest housebuilding surge in a generation” as part of the most significant rewrite of planning rules in more than a decade.
The government announced revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) this week, which are included in a consultation, and which it hopes will optimise land use through well-designed, higher-density development, simplified biodiversity rules for smaller sites and fast-track housing projects which meet national standards for energy efficiency.
Changes include saying “yes” to brownfield sites, building around train stations and building more blocks of flats in towns and cities. The government also wants to make it easier for developers, particularly SME builders, to build higher density housing on smaller sites and under-used land where appropriate and fast track those schemes which “meet high standards for well-designed homes”.
The encouragement of a more diverse mix of housing such as rural affordable homes and accessible homes for older people and those with disabilities are part of the proposals. Elsewhere proposals will see new builds to include nature-friendly features, such as installing swift bricks, to support wildlife.
There will also be preferential treatment for developments which strengthen local economies and provide new services, including shops, leisure facilities and food production.
The government said the measures would “pave the way for a stable, rules-based system where developments that meet clear standards can move quickly from plans to construction – the most significant rewrite of national planning policy in over a decade”.
It added the new rail and densification policies were “expected to unlock a potential 1.8 million homes in the coming years and decades”.
The consultation was launched a few days before the Planning and Infrastructure Act was enshrined in law. This provides a statutory framework within which planning policy (such as the NPPF) must operate under.
Associate director and head of planning and architecture, Natasha Blackmore da Silva said: “These proposed planning reforms within the NPPF signal a welcome shift towards greater certainty and efficiency in the planning system.
“If ratified they will help to unlock much-needed housing supply and supporting SME builders with proportionate, deliverable standards.
“By encouraging higher-density development in sustainable locations and simplifying requirements for smaller sites, the changes should help reduce delays and better align planning outcomes with market demand.”