The UK government has announced plans to update the National Planning Policy Framework, as part of its wider agenda to reform to UK planning policy.  

The changes include the re-introduction of mandatory housing targets and an emphasis on ensuring local authorities have up-to-date Local Plans. The update will also make clear that councils are required to consider the proximity of new developments to existing transport infrastructure. 

To meet mandatory housing targets, local authorities will be expected to look to brownfield sites in the green belt and their grey belt, with priority given to land near stations and existing settlements.  

The government has opened a consultation over the plans, which will close at 11.45pm on 24 September 2024. 

The announcement was made in a speech to the House of Commons by Deputy PM Angela Raynor, in which she promised a “radical” plan “to get Britain building”. The government hopes that the updated framework will assist in delivering its target of 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.  

The changes will form part of a wider package of reforms, including a Planning and Infrastructure Bill, as recently announced in the King’s Speech.  

Previously, the NPPF had been updated in December 2023 in response to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. This followed a series of updates and changes made since its original publication in March 2012.  

CIHT has been vocal in its calls for planning reform, particularly the need for closer integration between sustainable transport and planning. In 2019, we published Better planning, better transport, better places. One of the recommendations of that report was that  

In March 2023, CIHT submitted evidence to the previous government’s NPPF Consultation. In that response, we emphasised the importance of close integration with transport planning in meeting housing targets.