New NPPF 2026: A Framework for Growth
By
Henry Hodgson
Much of the discussion surrounding the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has focused on housing delivery and Grey Belt land. Whilst both are important, they arguably overlook a wider message running throughout the revised framework. Put simply, the Government wants the planning system to play a more active role in supporting growth, investment and development.
The publication of a new NPPF will always generate debate across the planning industry, but the direction of travel is clear. Whether a proposal relates to housing, commercial development, town centre regeneration, infrastructure or renewable energy, national policy is increasingly geared towards helping sustainable development come forward in the right locations.
One of the more significant changes is the way the document has been structured. The revised framework creates a clearer distinction between policies used for plan-making and those applied when determining planning applications. Whilst this may not attract the same attention as some of the headline changes, greater clarity around which policies apply, and when, should make decision-making more straightforward for applicants and local authorities alike.
The revised framework also places considerable emphasis on development within existing settlements. In simple terms, there is strong support for directing growth towards locations where services, facilities and infrastructure are already in place.
For applicants, this is likely to be one of the most important themes running through the new NPPF. Whether it is bringing a vacant town centre unit back into use, expanding an existing business, regenerating a brownfield site or delivering new commercial floorspace, there is a clear recognition that sustainable growth should be supported where it can make best use of existing infrastructure.
The framework also strengthens support for economic development more broadly. Planning is increasingly being viewed as a means of helping deliver investment, jobs and infrastructure, rather than simply managing the impacts of development.
This can be seen through continued support for development that creates jobs, attracts investment and supports local economies. For many applicants, that may mean bringing a vacant building back into use, expanding an existing business, delivering new leisure or commercial floorspace, or unlocking previously developed land for a more productive use. At a time when many town centres continue to evolve and businesses face increasing pressure to invest and adapt, the planning system is expected to play a key role in helping deliver those objectives.
Housing delivery remains an important part of the picture, but it is only one element of a much wider agenda. The broader theme running through the revised NPPF is the Government's desire to create a planning system that supports delivery, investment and growth.
For developers, businesses, landowners and investors, that is likely to be the most important takeaway. The real test, however, will not be the wording of the NPPF itself. It will be how those policies are applied in practice.