NPPF Update

The Government has published an update to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

What is the NPPF?

The NPPF sets out the Government’s aspirations for the delivery of development in England, how it should be delivered and where areas of land and buildings (such as Green Belt and Listed Buildings) should be protected.

It is a material consideration in the determination of a planning application by a council and is of critical importance to all those that engage with the town planning system. Planning applications should be aligned with the aspirations of the NPPF in order to have the best chance of success.

The changes to the NPPF include:

• Making beauty and placemaking a strategic policy framework.

• An expectation that a council produce their own design codes and guides setting out design principles which new development in their areas should reflect.

• An expectation that new streets are tree-lined.

• Improving biodiversity and access to nature through design.

• An emphasis on granting planning permission for well designed development and refusing poor quality schemes.

Mediocre schemes will not be accepted!