New NPPF strengthens support for development

A new National Planning Policy Framework has come into force in England, introducing stronger support for housing around transport hubs alongside changes affecting data centres, regeneration and major development.

Published on 17 August, the revised NPPF introduces a more explicit presumption in favour of development in sustainable locations and a “default yes” for housing within reasonable walking distance of well-connected railway, tram and underground stations.

The policy applies immediately to planning decisions and Local Plan preparation, with national decision-making policies carrying greater weight where existing local policies conflict with the new framework.

For residential developers, including Build to Rent providers, the station-led changes could open up significant development opportunities in well-connected urban locations.

Reasonable walking distance has been defined as 800 metres, while the policy has been expanded from the 60 Travel to Work Areas proposed during consultation to the top 80 ranked by Gross Value Added.

Density requirements have also been made more flexible. Commenting on the implications of this update, property consultant Savills said the final framework replaces the draft proposal for 40 to 50 dwellings per hectare with an expectation to maximise density where accessibility, infrastructure, viability and local character allow, with 35 to 45 dwellings per hectare now stated.

Angela Rayner, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: “By unlocking thousands of homes around well-connected transport hubs, we’re helping people live closer to work, school and the services they rely on, while backing local businesses and driving growth in our communities.”

The changes extend beyond housing. The NPPF strengthens planning support for AI Growth Zones and data centres while giving greater recognition to energy and water capacity when determining where development should be located.

This comes as infrastructure availability, particularly electricity grid capacity, is becoming an increasingly significant constraint on UK data centre development. 

Large residential and regeneration projects could also benefit from changes to viability policy.

The framework explicitly recognises strategic sites of around 1,500 homes or more and the longer delivery periods, infrastructure requirements and viability challenges associated with them.

Savills said developers will have greater scope to diverge from Local Plan requirements where costs were not considered in the original viability assessment, although significant changes to cost assumptions will need to be demonstrated.

The reforms coincide with new Housing Delivery Test results showing growing pressure on local authorities to increase supply.

According to Savills, 31% of local planning authorities are now subject to the presumption in favour of sustainable development as a result of housing delivery performance, compared with 20% under the 2023 measurement. Only 51% avoided any Housing Delivery Test consequences, down from 65%.

Other NPPF changes include a national minimum requirement for 40% accessible homes on major developments, stronger protection for community facilities and moves to streamline planning consultation and information requirements.

The revised framework is the eighth iteration of the NPPF since 2012. Savills said many in the industry will now hope for “a period of policy stability”, but described the viability changes as pragmatic and welcomed the more deliverable approach to housing density.

The changes signal a more explicitly development-positive national planning policy, although their success in accelerating construction will continue to depend on viability, infrastructure capacity and market conditions.