New NPPF shows government means business

Property professionals across the North universally welcomed the revised National Planning Policy Framework, especially its changes to the Green Belt.

Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner introduced the reformed NPPF on Thursday morning, describing it as a “landmark overhaul” of the planning system geared towards enabling the delivery of 1.5m homes over the next five years.

And ‘delivering’ is exactly what it looks likely to do.

Hallam Land, a strategic land subsidiary of Henry Boot with projects across the North, will be able to submit applications for 10,000 residential plots as a result of the new framework, according to Henry Boot chief executive Tim Roberts.

“This change to planning policy is undoubtedly good news,” Roberts said.

• Read more: Here are the big changes in the NPPF

‘The potential to be transformative’

Becki Hinchliffe, director at Altrincham-based Eden Planning, concurred with Roberts.

“Unlike previous headlines that have often been watered down to mere tweaks, these reforms have the potential to be transformative,” she said.

“The intent behind these reforms is both fair and reasonable,” Hinchliffe continued.

“When considered alongside the Planning Reform Paper, the ambition is clear: to make planning a process that positively manages change. By removing often inconsistent and subjective decisions, these reforms aim to reduce investment risk and create a more predictable and stable planning environment.”

• Planning is just one of the obstacles facing housing delivery. Viability gaps are another. Sign our campaign to pressure government for more grant support for the North.

York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith voiced his support for the government’s plans.

“As a combined authority we’re committed to providing affordable homes and ensuring York and North Yorkshire residents have more choice about where they live,” he said.

“We support the government’s ambitious housing plans and will work to identify barriers to housing development in our region.

“We’ll work with the government while advocating for the powers and changes we need to deliver the homes we need in our urban, rural, and coastal regions.”

Brownfield and BTR

Placefirst is a developer active throughout the North, with projects in Bolton, Hartlepool, and Sheffield. Placefirst head of planning Alun Davies singled out two elements of the NPPF in particular as important.

“As an experienced developer in brownfield regeneration, it is pleasing to see the strengthening of a brownfield-first approach via para 125(c), which now states that proposals should be approved unless substantial harm would be caused,” Davies said.

“We are also pleased to see that para 63 continues to advocate evidence bases to include a thorough assessment of rental needs. The build-to-rent sector has the ability to deliver at scale and at pace, so it will be important for the urban authorities to make sure they are planning strategically for BTR.”

James Blakey, planning and engagement director for Northern BTR investor, developer, and operator Moda Group, also highlighted the NPPF’s inclusion of the rental sector as a positive step.

“The NPPF rightly highlights the build-to-rent sector’s role in providing professionally managed rental homes for diverse communities,” he said.

“With funding, expertise, and enthusiasm ready, we are poised to create high-quality rental neighbourhoods to support the government’s Plan for Change.”

Placefirst’s Davies did argue that BTR should receive even more focus than it currently does in the NPPF.

“There is only fleeting reference to BTR itself at Para 71 and arguably the NPPF does not go far enough to provide specific policy support for BTR and other sectors such as co-living,” he said.

Government showing its power

Lichfields planning director Alan Hughes noted that the NPPF provides one key element to the development community: certainty.

It also, he added, “shows that the government is backing up its promises with actions”.

Hughes continued: “There have been a few technical amendments since the draft, but the big levers are still being pulled – immediate mandatory housing targets, a default ‘yes’ to brownfield development, and the new Grey Belt category which is hoped to encourage development of lower quality sites in the green belt.

“With the plan-led system here to stay, mandatory Green Belt reviews, investment into local planning departments, and a consultation into a national scheme of delegation to speed up decision-making, we expect a busy 2025 working with developer clients and public sector partners to facilitate new homes and economic development across the North of England.”

Rory Stracey, partner in planning at law firm Trowers & Hamlins, said that the NPPF showed the power of the current government.

“The government has a big majority, and the changes it has implemented in the new NPPF show that it is not afraid to use it,” Stracey said.

“The new NPPF positively requires councils to consider the release of Green Belt where it is necessary to meet the needs of the area, and it opens the door for speculative applications in the “grey belt” where council plans are out of date or there is under-delivery.

“The concept of Grey Belt includes previously developed land, but also land that makes only a limited contribution to the purposes of the greenbelt. Expect that concept to be hotly contested in appeals in the years ahead,” he continued.

He also added that there was more to the NPPF than just a focus on housing.

“Whilst the big news is that the door has been opened to the release of Green Belt land that is needed for development, the new NPPF quietly but decisively emphasises that the planning regime should support the wider economy including commercial development and infrastructure,” Stracey said.

“In a major shift from previous governments, the new NPPF shouts loud and clear that wind farms and other renewable energy schemes are back. Councils must support planning applications for all forms of renewable and low carbon development, and the requirement for local consent is gone”

Prepare for the applications

Coupling the encouragement to release Green Belt with the NPPF’s focus on local plans should see a rise in housing applications, according to Placefirst’s Davies.

“Today’s publication will no doubt lead to a raft of immediate applications, particularly in those locations, such as Stockport which do not have an up-to-date local plan,” he said.

“The requirement to deliver significant affordable housing on Grey Belt sites (capped at 50% and subject to viability) should also be welcomed, and within Greater Manchester is very much necessary to help to address the shortcomings of the GMSF which did not release enough land to meet affordable needs.”

The North West, Davies added, may end up having the highest amount of Grey Belt in the country – noting that there are more than 14,800 acres in Greater Manchester alone.

Adam Buxton, associate director of planning, regeneration, and infrastructure from Lambert Smith Hampton, echoed Davies’ assessment that the North West, in particular, will benefit from the government’s plans.

“As a region, the North West remains (following consultation) subject to the second largest overall increase in housing need (up from 21,497 to 34,678 dwellings per annum),” he said. “In the context of existing housing delivery figures, and the transitional arrangements set out within the NPPF the scale of the housing requirement brings with it a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to promote, submit, and deliver residential development across the region.

“However, the changes made to the NPPF are only part of the solution and more needs to be done across the sector to leverage this step change in policy and maximise this opportunity.”

Elaine Field, legal director within the property team at solicitor Brabners agreed.

“Further clarity is needed on whether Grey Belt schemes will be subject to viability appraisals.

Field continued: “The amendments to planning guidance suggest that such appraisals should not be used to reduce developer contributions, including affordable housing, and this point will require further clarity in order to allow schemes to come forward.”

One piece of the puzzle

Ian Ford, director at Pegasus Group’s Liverpool office and part of the team working on Peel Waters’ £5bn masterplan in Liverpool, was cautiously optimistic about the NPPF.

“It’s positive that the government remains committed to its pro-growth agenda, but the real test will be how the NPPF is implemented in practice,” he said.

“For the North, ensuring viability and the delivery of the right infrastructure is crucial to unlocking high-quality developments,” Ford continued.

“Holistic thinking, collaboration between public bodies and developers, and a long-term approach to partnerships will be key—quick fixes won’t lead to sustainable success.”

Eden’s Hinchliffe pushed for more government support to help unlock schemes, referring to the £68m distributed earlier this year to more than 50 councils for brownfield remediation.

“While we welcome the recent funding announcements, we believe that they should go further,” she said.

“The £68m allocated is not significantly more than in previous years. Of particular concern is that out of the 54 local authorities receiving funding, only 19 are in the North and Midlands, with just 38% of the funding directed to these regions.”

Brabners’ Field was of a similar mind to Hinchliffe.

“Although the new measures should be seen as a positive step towards addressing the housing crisis, further action will be required to achieve the proposed housing targets,” she said.

“This includes increased investment in workforce training to ensure the necessary skills are in place to deliver the planned schemes, as well as additional grant funding to support the delivery of the additional affordable housing,” Field continued.

“Without these critical measures, the ambitions to meeting housing demand may remain out of reach.”