A major overhaul of the UK’s planning (zoning) system was unveiled on 30 July.  This is aimed at tackling the UK’s chronic housing shortage, as well as the challenge of net zero.  The lack of affordable housing in the south-east of England, for example, means that average house prices there are ten times the average wage.  At the same time, public sector housebuilding has slowed to a trickle and rents have soared.  Similarly, the planning system has been identified as a major block on renewables and low-carbon developments in the UK.     

In response, the new UK Government has announced significant changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF“) which guides decision-making on individual planning applications as well as the content of local planning policies (against which applications for individual sites are assessed).  The main aim is to kick-start an unprecedented programme of housebuilding with a huge proposed target of 371,000 per year against current delivery of about 200,000 units per year.  There will also be increased requirements on developers to provide affordable housing on new housing developments.  Commentary so far has rightly focused on these important housing-related changes in the draft NPPF, but the draft NPPF goes much further than housing.  Specific focus is given to renewables and low-carbon projects, digital technology, gigafactories, laboratories and logistics.

In this briefing, we summarise the main proposed changes in the draft NPPF and identify further likely upcoming reforms to be made to the planning system including through the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Continue Reading UK planning reforms to focus on social developments and net zero