New National Planning Policy Framework is welcomed

The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has been welcomed as a broadly supportive step towards a clearer, more delivery-focused planning system.

Real Estate:UK (RE:UK), the organisation that represents the £950bn commercial property sector, says the final framework reflects a number of priorities raised by the organisation during consultation, making important changes as well as providing clarity in a number of areas.

Inevitably, there are also a number of areas where further progress is needed, it claims.

But RE:UK will continue to engage constructively with the government to ensure the priorities of its members are heard.

Danny Pinder, director of policy, RE:UK, said: “The new NPPF is a welcome and constructive step towards a planning system that supports development, investment and economic growth.

“We are particularly pleased that the government has listened to concerns about proposed changes to viability and retained the flexibility necessary to accommodate large-scale, complex and uncertain multi-year developments.

“The clearer framework for strategic sites, changes to spatial development strategy timeframes, stronger recognition of employment and logistics uses, and more nuanced approach to housing tenure and density will all help create the conditions to deliver homes, workplaces and infrastructure together.

“At the same time, there are areas where the changes fall short and we will be continuing conversations with the government.

“Equally, and with the autumn Budget nearing, the government mustn’t lose sight of the fact that planning reform alone will not fix viability challenges facing the sector.

“To unlock delivery, the government must take serious stock of the accumulation of tax and regulatory changes crippling delivery, and take meaningful steps to address these pressures and support delivery at the autumn Budget.”

While RE:UK supported the principle of reducing scheme-specific viability assessments where these were not necessary, it urged the government to avoid seeking spurious accuracy on elements of a development not known up front when evaluating viability and developer contributions at the plan-making stage, arguing that viability circumstances can change.

It is pleased the government reflected these concerns in its final framework, explicitly recognising that sufficient flexibility is needed at the application stage and that site-specific viability assessments may still be justified in specific circumstances outlined in the policy document.

This should help councils set ambitious but realistic policies, while allowing developments to respond to changing costs, infrastructure needs and market conditions, it claims.

The new definition of a strategic site - with around 1,500 homes as a guide - gives much-needed clarity for large, long-term developments as it continues.

The framework also finds a better balance between agreeing the main requirements at the outset and allowing masterplans, housing tenures and later phases to change as a scheme is built out.

Clearer links between long-term spatial strategies and local plans should give investors and infrastructure providers more confidence.

RE:UK particularly welcomes the strengthened approach to spatial development strategies (SDS) which reflects a number of its longstanding priorities.

It says the extension of the SDS planning horizon to 25 years provides greater long-term certainty for planning, infrastructure delivery and investment, as does the move to a reduced frequency of reviews where there are no material changes to a site, rather than mandated five-yearly reproduction.