Designing Buildings National Planning Policy Framework 2025 draft review in brief with indicative responses.
Designing Buildings writes:
In December the government published a consultation on a revamped National Planning Policy Framework, that consultation ends in early March 2026. This follows previous changes made to the NPPF on 12 December, 2024 (along with new guidance) many of which were directed towards achieving economic growth and targetting 1.5 million new homes. Some key elements of the previous changes included reintroduction of mandatory targets, raising the combined national annual target to 370,000 homes, and formally prioritising lower-quality grey belt land for development with a set of Golden Rules. The golden rules looking more closely around lower quality greenbelt land and its potential for development to allow for infrastructure (nurseries, GP surgeries) and also affordable housing under certain circumstances. Prior to this under the Conservative government an updated the NPPF had been published on 19 December 2023 with changes focused on making housing targets advisory rather than mandatory.
This current NPPF consultation remains open until 10 March 2026 National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system. On its publication in December 2025 initial reaction to the draft NPPF from industry was generally positive from the construction side, with initial warnings voiced from the side of environmental management, ecology and conservation. The Chapters below aim to briefly talk through some of the key aspects noted more recently.
The Home Builders Federation said in December 2025 the NPF reinforces commitment to reforming the planning system ‘removing barriers to homebuilding, retaining a clear focus on sustainable development while protecting the natural environment… reduce the complexity should help to reduce delays.. progressive approach urgently required if the industry is going to reverse the trend of recent years that has seen a decline in the number of homes being consented.’ CIEEM said. ‘ a 10% cap on uplifts by local authorities, which would limit their ability to go beyond nationally set requirements… risks constraining councils that wish to show greater local ambition or respond to higher levels of need for nature recovery, biodiversity enhancement or environmental protection within their areas… importance of ensuring that reforms to national policy do not undermine the ability of the planning system to deliver positive outcomes for nature alongside development.’
The draft NPPF restructures policy to clearly separate plan-making from decision-making and introduces stronger national direction on housing. It proposes a 40% minimum requirement for accessible homes (M4(2) and M4(3)), a national minimum proportion of social rent on major schemes, and housing targets set through spatial development strategies, reducing local flexibility. A new ‘medium development’ category (10–49 homes) may allow financial contributions instead of on-site affordable housing and could be exempt from biodiversity net gain. The draft also limits local authorities’ ability to set standards beyond national regulations and re-emphasises objectively assessed need for housing.
A shift of presumption in favour of development from ‘sustainable’ to ‘suitable,’ means development in existing settlements would generally be approved unless clear harm outweighs national policy benefits, and well-located sites outside settlements that efficiently use land and infrastructure gain stronger support. Near transport nodes such as railway stations, schemes could benefit from near-default approval with mandatory minimum densities of 40–50 dwellings per hectare. The concept of suitability also supports small-scale gentle densification (infill, corner plots, roof extensions), often alongside potential exemptions for affordable housing and biodiversity net gain. The draft further formalises the concept of ‘grey belt’ land within or adjacent to the Green Belt, clarifying how lower-performing parcels may be released for housing or infrastructure while retaining the ‘very special circumstances’ test and linking decisions more explicitly to Local Nature Recovery Strategies and environmental objectives.
The consultation also asks views on data centre thresholds, viability assessments, reforming site thresholds, and other planning system changes that accompany the NPPF revision such as Areas for producing spatial development strategies. The consultation remains open until 10 March 2026 National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system.
To read more go here.
