NPPF review welcomed, but SMEs still wait for support
December 12, 2024
The Government has released its response to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) consultation.
Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders, said:
“The NPPF review reintroduces much needed mandatory housing targets, permits more land allocation through a new definition of grey belt, and establishes golden rules for greenbelt usage, which at first glance may see larger sites delivered due to the associated costs.
These changes are vital in stepping up the challenge of building 300,000 homes a year and ensuring we one day have a parliamentary term where 1.5 million homes can be built. We particularly welcome the ‘stick’ of central government intervention if councils continue to avoid making or updating local plans.”
The Government also announced that:
- Brownfield land will be viewed as the first port of call for delivery, with ‘Brownfield Passports’ to be further consulted on
- Councils will get £100 million to update and review their local plans
- Developers must provide the necessary infrastructure for local communities, such as nurseries, GP surgeries, and transport, as well as a premium level of social and affordable housing, when delivering on the greenbelt
Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Policy and Market Insight at the NFB and House Builders Association (HBA) said:
“It is encouraging to see the Government stand by their density ambitions, mandatory housing targets, five-year land supplies, and the reintroduction of council boundary cooperation on housing numbers.
Delaying spatial planning until a strategic framework is in place, is the right approach, and it’s promising to see that Brownfield Passports are about making the most of public land rather than merely using it to deliver residential development. And finally, taking more time to think about benchmarking land values is a great relief.
However, there are areas of concern. The planning conditions discharge fees are set to rise, without any indication that their abuse will be limited. When they became individually chargeable they went from fewer than ten, to tens. Planning fees are also set to rise, without any announcement of recourse if services are poor. And finally, the NFB’s campaign for a medium sized site to fit between minor and major continues, as the Government did not even note this broadly welcomed campaign. It has also not mandated councils to deliver just 10% of their allocated sites as small.
There is a lot to still digest, and the review has taken us into a more positive planning place but unfortunately it remains crumbs for SMEs and a long way to go to hit the 370,000 new homes a year target.”
You May Also Enjoy
High Quality Modular Homes for the UK
Are you looking for added accommodation space in your garden / on your land? Modular Living Homes by tutumHOUSE offer a new way to live – minimalist in form, rich in experience. “There are approximately 9.6 million homes in the UK with a garden shed, and around 52% of the population owns one.” asgardsss There…
Read More 
The most stressful places to move to in the UK
With more people in the UK moving homes during summer than any other season and the average cost of moving in the UK rising to over £14,000, picking the right place to move to has become more crucial than ever. Luckily, new research from Pay Less for Storage reveals the UK cities that make life easiest…
Read More 
Time-Traveling Estate Agent Sequel Climbs Amazon Charts
A UK Estate Agent Currently Bringing Joy to People’s Lives – Shame He’s Fictional… Eric Meek, the fictional estate agent created by author Dale Bradford, is back for a second outing in The Time‑Travelling Estate Agent 2, a sequel that is already climbing Amazon’s bestselling time‑travel rankings. Estate agents were recently highlighted as the third…
Read More 
Is it finally time for lenders to back green homes?
Andrew Smith weighs the risks and rewards Property developers are increasingly pitching green homes to lenders; however, with sales cycles slowing down and repair costs rising, is now the right time to back sustainable builds and at what price point is there market demand? Sustainability is continuing to shape our future of construction with the…
Read More 
Breaking Property News 24/07/25
Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. OpticWise – digital infrastructure in commercial real estate If your building were a product, how would it perform on the user experience scale? Week 9: Experience as Infrastructure – Designing for Human-Centric Buildings Welcome to Week 9 of our 52-week journey into the future…
Read More 
UK Housebuilding Falters as Construction Hiring Flatlines
New research from Inventory Base reveals that UK construction industry employment has increased by almost 11% in the past five years, but there has been less than 1% growth in the past 12 months. Inventory Base’s analysis of the UK construction industry shows that in 2024 (latest data available) it employed an estimated total of…
Read More