Last week, the UK government announced an overhaul of the planning system, centered around a new Draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which outlines the government’s proposed reforms.
Alongside the draft document, the government published a press release introducing the reforms and a letter to planning authorities from Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government Angela Rayner. The principal elements of the plan described include:
- Universal coverage of local plans.
- A focus on strategic planning, including the adoption of ‘Spatial Development Strategies’ to address multiple spatial issues including housing, infrastructure, economic development and climate resilience.
- New, increased, mandatory housing targets for local and combined authorities, which will be calculated using a new method, as well as measures to increase social and affordable housing within these.
- A review of the green belt and the new introduction of ‘grey belt’ land alongside ‘brownfield’ within this designation, with an agenda for councils to review boundaries and release land to meet housing or commercial needs.
- Making it easier to build ‘growth supporting infrastructure’ including data networks, energy, and transport.
- Reviewing the capacity and fee structure of local planning authorities.
- A look ahead to further reforms, including new towns, a housing strategy, and ‘Planning and Infrastructure Bill’.
Alongside the Draft NPPF, the government has now opened a public consultation on the proposed changes to respond to the consultation and publish its NPPF revisions before the end of 2024.
Rob Hughes, CEO Landscape Institute, said:
“The Landscape Institute is pleased that the new Labour government is taking the urgent need for planning reform in this country seriously, with a range of laudable measures that have the potential to transform the planning system for the better.
Our landscape policy agenda is grounded in taking a strategic approach, and linking the sustainable development of housing and infrastructure with other positive outcomes for the economy, society, and the environment. We are pleased to see evidence of this approach in the Draft NPPF, but any numerical targets it promotes must be backed up by appropriate policy for the quality, health, and climate resiliency of local places. Early engagement with landscape professionals across both private sector enterprise and local authority services, working in collaboration with partners, will be essential for delivering this ambition. This means the government must also tackle the green skills shortage if it is to realise its ambitious planning goals.
The Landscape Institute will be engaging its members and responding to the consultation in detail. We look forward to outlining what a landscape-led approach means, and welcome discussion from the government and civil service on how to enact our recommendations, and integrate quality landscape planning, as this parliament progresses.”
