National Planning Policy Framework changes: what to know

The National Planning Policy Framework changes now in view come with a letter from Minister of State Matthew Pennycook MP to Graham Stallwood, chief executive of the Planning Inspectorate. GOV.UK has published it. The government says it applies to England.

For anyone thinking about a home extension, a conversion or a small development, the practical question is what the new text means for an application. The published material answers part of that, and this article sets out what is known and what is not.

What the new framework changes, and when

According to GOV.UK, the letter covers how the new framework sets out national planning policy "in a clearer and more comprehensive manner". It also highlights elements intended to support the government’s ambitions on boosting housing supply and economic growth. The letter recognises the "vital role" the Planning Inspectorate plays in embedding the new approach into day-to-day development management.

The GOV.UK summary does not list individual policy changes. It also gives no date from which the new text applies to live applications. Reported.News has therefore not described specific rule changes, because the sources do not support them. The full framework document on GOV.UK is the place to check the wording that applies to your project.

What the letter does show is the direction of travel. Ministers want decisions made on a clearer national policy base, with the Inspectorate applying it consistently.

Who is affected by the planning permission rules

Anyone applying for permission in England is affected, because the framework is the national policy that applicants and councils refer to. A live example is a Swindon application by Savills, for M&G Real Estate, to alter The Ridge restaurant at Greenbridge Retail Park. The application says the scheme is in line with the framework’s objective of delivering sustainable economic development. The planning officer’s report deemed all the proposed alterations acceptable, and neither the Highways Department nor the Parish Council objected.

National planning policy also matters for local planning decisions. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet will be asked on Tuesday 13 October to keep the Local Development Order for the former Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station site unchanged. According to West Bridgford Wire, the council’s review concludes that the existing planning framework remains consistent with national planning policy.

Householders looking upwards should note that the framework is separate from permitted development rights. The Architects’ Journal reports that rights introduced in 2020 allow most building types to be extended by two storeys, subject to prior approval. Further changes proposed in 2024 are still under consideration, according to the latest government update.

What supporters and critics say

None of the sources contains reaction specifically to the new framework, so there is no verified verdict yet. The surrounding debate shows where the arguments lie. Architect Ben Clark of 2C Architects told the Architects’ Journal that anything reducing unnecessary barriers to development "has to be a good thing", provided design codes stop a more relaxed environment producing poorer design.

Others urge caution on quality. Oliver Cooke and Francis Fawcett of Cooke Fawcett said: "Any new framework that feels like PD-on-steroids risks the same outcome unless design quality is genuinely built into the policy from the start." They were speaking about rooftop extensions in London, not the national framework.

Rural housing prompts a different argument. Martin Collett, chief executive of English Rural, said "small scale development can have a big impact" in villages. Virginia Edwyn-Jones, deputy mayor of Shaftesbury town council, said: "If you’re only earning £15,000 a year, you’re not going to be able to afford what’s classed as affordable." Both were quoted by AOL.

What to do now

First, read the relevant sections of the new framework on GOV.UK, then your council’s local plan, which may not yet reflect the new text. Wiltshire’s local plan, for example, was scrapped in May because it did not allocate enough land for housing, according to AOL. Plans in your area may be changing, so ask your council which policies it is applying.

Second, check the thresholds that could affect a development. AOL reports that the framework requires affordable homes on developments of 10 homes or more, or sites of 0.5 hectares or larger. On that description, a plan for nine homes on a 0.6-hectare plot would still meet the site-size trigger. That is an illustration, and you should confirm the threshold in the new text.

Third, note the dates. Rushcliffe’s Cabinet meets on 13 October, and the Mayor of London is expected to respond to the London Assembly letter by 3 November. If you are unsure whether a project needs permission, ask your council before you spend money on drawings.

Your questions answered

What are the key changes in the new planning laws?

The sources do not list them. GOV.UK says the new framework sets out national planning policy more clearly and comprehensively, to support housing supply and economic growth.

What is the latest version of the National Planning Policy Framework?

GOV.UK refers to "the new National Planning Policy Framework" in a letter to the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate. The sources give no version number or start date.

What are the key changes in the local plan-making regulations?

The sources do not cover plan-making regulations. They show local plans in practice: Wiltshire’s was scrapped in May, and a Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan is under public examination.