NPPF Consultation Launched

If you didn’t get enough books in your stocking this Christmas, this consultation for changing the National Planning Policy Framework will help the evening hours pass by.

The NPPF sets over-arching guidance for planning authorities across England. It was tweaked not long after Labour came to power to, most notably, increase affordable housing numbers and introduce the Greybelt.

Now, it’s had a total rewrite.

📅 We’ve got until 10th March to have our say on this draft. Details here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-planning-policy-framework-proposed-reforms-and-other-changes-to-the-planning-system

The draft NPPF aims to bring an end to local authorities setting their own emissions targets, but appears to leave plenty of alternative options on the table.

Labour is sticking to its commitment to build 1.5 million homes, and the theme of this proposal is designed to help them hit this ambitious target.

Labour's end goal is to create a streamlined, faster planning system which is easier for the public to use, and with fewer localised hurdles for housebuilders to navigate.

I’ve picked through the proposed framework to find details relating to energy efficiency, emission rates and Net Zero:

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🔴 PM13 (Setting Standards) – The end of Energy Statements as we know them?

Local Planning Policy should be limited to infrastructure, affordable housing and site layouts. Councils will be allowed to apply stricter water efficiency targets, but it seems their hands will be tied when it comes to emission targets.

The Secretary of State, Steve Reed, has written to local authorities saying “we are proposing to prevent duplication of matters which are covered by Building Regulations.”

❓ So does this mean councils will be blocked from asking for additional CO2 savings over Building Regulations? This has been discussed previously.

❓ Will alternative assessment tools like PHPP (PassivHaus), that is required in places like Bath and Cornwall, be stopped?

❓ What about targeting carbon offsetting and lifecycle (which aren’t Building Regulations).

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🟠 CC1 & CC2 (Planning for and mitigation of climate change)

Planners are expected to give ‘substantial weight’ to sites:

🔸 which take a proactive approach to transitioning to net zero,

🔸 where existing buildings are suitably retrofitted instead of demolished,

🔸 where sites connect to District Heat Networks (DHN), and

🔸 where technology like heat pumps and PV are included.

A lot of these points will become the norm for new sites through the new Approved Document Part L (the Future Homes Standard), which suggests developers will be incentivised to improve over Building Regs, even if PM13 stops councils setting specific targets.

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🔵 Also, refer to sections:

-DP3 (Key Principles for Well Designed Places),

-P3 (Living conditions and pollutions), and

-the W Category (Securing clean energy and water).

These all link together to support to need for net zero readiness, high efficiency standards, occupancy comfort, overheating, water efficiency, air quality, pollutants and green infrastructure.