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Last edited 27 Aug 2026

National planning policy framework NPPF

1 Introduction
2 Background
3 Principles
4 Local plans
5 Neighbourhood planning
6 Criticisms
7 Historical Reform
8 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] Introduction

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out government planning policy for England. It was first published in March 2012 by the Department for Communities and Local Government, later becoming the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and in September 2021 the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) as it was known at the time. Under the Conservative government, an updated NPPF was published on 19 December 2023 (with minor corrections made on 20 December 2023); those changes focused on making housing targets advisory rather than mandatory.

On Tuesday 30 July 2024, under a Labour government, a consultation on proposed changes to the NPPF was announced. The consultation closed on 24 September 2024. On 12 December 2024 the revised National Planning Policy Framework was published along with associated guidance, much of it intended to help the government achieve economic growth and reach its target of building 1.5 million new homes. Key elements included reintroducing mandatory housing targets and raising the combined national annual target to 370,000 homes, formalising priority for lower-quality grey belt land for development, and a set of Golden Rules. The Golden Rules concerned an approach to lower-quality green belt land and the potential for development to secure infrastructure (such as nurseries and GP surgeries) and affordable housing.

On 16 December 2025 the Labour government published a draft NPPF alongside a consultation on wider reforms to the planning system, with some further changes made in February 2026; the consultation closed on 10 March 2026. Following analysis of consultation responses, the government published its response together with a fully revised NPPF on 17 August 2026 - described as the first comprehensive rewrite of the Framework since its original 2012 publication. The new Framework separates policies used for plan-making from those used for decision-making, with the decision-making policies taking effect as material considerations from the date of publication.

Key changes introduced by the August 2026 NPPF include: replacing the previous presumption in favour of sustainable development (and the 'tilted balance') with a permanent presumption in favour of 'suitably located development', set out in new policies S3 to S5; a simplified grey belt definition, under which grey belt release and station-led green belt development can be treated as 'not inappropriate' where certain tests are met, without the previous requirement to demonstrate exceptional circumstances; revised Golden Rules requiring affordable housing of 50% on land released from the green belt through a Local Plan, or 15 percentage points above the local authority's existing affordable housing policy (capped at 50%) - a softening of the blanket 50% figure that had been proposed at consultation; a 'default yes' policy for housing development within around 800 metres (roughly a 10 minute walk) of well-connected railway stations in the top 80 Travel to Work Areas, at minimum densities of 35 dwellings per hectare (45 dwellings per hectare for higher-frequency stations) - lower than the 40 to 50 dwellings per hectare proposed at consultation; confirmation of a new 'medium development' category of 10 to 49 homes on sites up to 2.5 hectares; a requirement for local plans to allocate at least 10% of housing to sites of 1 hectare or less and a further 10% to sites of between 1 and 2.5 hectares, to support small and medium-sized housebuilders; and a requirement for at least 40% of homes on major developments to meet the M4(2) accessible and adaptable standard, subject to exemptions. A proposal to widen the definition of a 'veteran tree' was not taken forward, and the existing, narrower definition remains in place.

[edit] Background

The National Planning Policy Framework update of December 2023 was revised in response to the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: reforms to national planning policy consultation, and set out the government's planning policies for England and how these were expected to be applied. That revised Framework replaced previous versions of the National Planning Policy Framework published in March 2012, and revised in 2018, 2019 and 2021. The Framework has since been revised again - in December 2024 and, most recently, on 17 August 2026 (see Historical Reform, below).

The NPPF followed a commitment made in the 2010 Coalition Agreement to 'publish and present to Parliament a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development and setting out national economic, environmental and social priorities'. The then-Minister for Planning and Decentralisation, Greg Clark MP, suggested it introduced a simpler and more accessible approach to planning policy.

The framework replaced a wide range of previous planning policy statements and planning policy guidance (see Planning policy replaced by the NPPF). It is commonly cited as having reduced planning policy from over 1,000 pages to around 50, but in fact, unless specifically revoked by the framework, existing policies remained effective.

In 2012, the coalition government commissioned the Taylor Report, a further review of the remaining planning policy guidance. A complete set of the legislation, policy and guidance that underpins planning in England can be found on the government's National Planning Practice Guidance website.

The current NPPF can be seen at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-planning-policy-framework

[edit] Principles

The NPPF dismantled the regional planning apparatus and introduced neighbourhood planning in order to create '... a framework within which local people and their accountable councils can produce their own distinctive local and neighbourhood plans, which reflect the needs and priorities of their communities.'

The document has been republished and the framework adapted several times since, but its underlying principles remain broadly constant. It states that the purpose of planning is to help achieve sustainable development. It defines three mutually dependent dimensions to sustainable development:

Economic.
Social.
Environmental.

The original NPPF set out 12 core principles that should underpin plan making and decision taking. Plan making and decision taking:

Should be genuinely plan-led.
Should be a creative exercise, not just one of scrutiny.
Should be proactive in driving and supporting sustainable development.
Should seek and secure high quality.
Should take account of the diverse character of different areas.
Should support the transition to a climate-resilient, low-carbon economy.
Should contribute to conserving and enhancing the natural environment and reducing pollution.
Should encourage the use of brownfield land.
Should encourage mixed-use development.
Should conserve heritage.
Should maximise the use of public transport, walking and cycling.
Should support health, social and cultural wellbeing.

The framework then set out detailed guidance under 13 subheadings that contribute to delivering sustainable development:

Building a strong, competitive economy.
Ensuring the vitality of town centres.
Supporting a prosperous rural economy.
Promoting sustainable transport.
Supporting high quality communications infrastructure.
Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes.
Requiring good design.
Promoting healthy communities.
Protecting green belt land.
Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change.
Conserving and enhancing the natural environment.
Conserving and enhancing the historic environment.
Facilitating the sustainable use of minerals.

[edit] Local plans

Local plans should be prepared by each local authority for its area. They should contribute to the achievement of sustainable development and set out over an extended time horizon '... the opportunities for development and clear policies on what will or will not be permitted and where...'

The framework proposes proactive engagement and collaboration with neighbourhoods, local organisations and businesses, as well as co-operation with neighbouring authorities and public, voluntary and private sector organisations. It also proposes improving the efficiency of the application process through pre-application engagement by the applicant with the local authority, other consenting bodies and the local community. This should include discussing what information should be submitted as part of the application.

The framework sets out strategic priorities that should be included in local plans and makes clear that local plans will be examined by an independent inspector. Proposed developments that are in accordance with an up to date local plan should be approved without delay, whilst those that conflict with an up to date local plan should be refused (unless material considerations indicate otherwise).

This puts an emphasis on the local plan being up to date. Historically, the framework stated that if a plan was absent, silent or out of date, permission should be granted, unless there were significant and demonstrable reasons not to grant permission.

Local authorities were originally given a 12-month transition period to ensure that existing plans conformed with the framework. However, when the transition period came to an end in March 2013, just half of local authorities had adopted local plans in place, and the Planning Inspectorate revealed that only 7% of those local plans complied with the requirements of the NPPF (ref. Planning Resource).

See Local plan for more information.

[edit] Neighbourhood planning

Parishes and neighbourhood forums are given the power to develop a neighbourhood plan for their neighbourhood. Neighbourhood plans must conform with the strategic policies in the local plan, but take precedence over non-strategic policies in the local plan where they are in conflict.

Parishes and neighbourhood forums are given the power to grant planning permission for developments through Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders. Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders require a local referendum. Where a planning application conflicts with a neighbourhood plan, planning permission will not normally be granted.

See Neighbourhood planning for more information.

[edit] Criticisms

A number of significant concerns were raised about the framework and its implementation:

There may be unintended consequences resulting from such a significant change being made so quickly.
There is ambiguity about the precise meaning of phrases such as 'sustainability'.
The framework says little about spatial planning or place making.
It is questionable whether there are adequate resources available to implement the changes that the framework brings about.
There is a lack of guidance for local communities.
It is not clear how the framework tackles the lack of housing.
It is not clear whether local plans will be able to retain control over development.
The Taylor Report followed very close on the heels of the National Planning Policy Framework, and there were concerns that the planning system could be thrown into disarray. Some campaigners described the findings of the review as giving the go-ahead for a bonfire of planning rules, creating a charter for development and putting the countryside at risk.

In April 2014, the all-party Commons Communities and Local Government Committee launched an inquiry into the operation of the NPPF. The inquiry found weaknesses in the NPPF and proposed a number of changes that could be made to strengthen it. See NPPF inquiry for more information.

In March 2015, a survey of residential developers and housing associations by accountancy and business advisory firm BDO found that 52% felt the NPPF had made no difference, 19% said it had inhibited the process, and only 29% believed it had been helpful.

[edit] Historical Reform

On 7 December 2015, the Department for Communities and Local Government launched a consultation seeking views on changes to the NPPF to support the delivery of new homes, including low cost homes for first time buyers. See Consultation on proposed changes to national planning policy for more information.

In April 2016, the Communities & Local Government (CLG) Committee published 'Department for Communities and Local Government's consultation on national planning policy' in which they called for a comprehensive review of the NPPF before the end of the Parliament, pointing out that there had been '...no robust, objective or evidence-based monitoring, evaluation or review' since it was first published in 2012.

On 30 January 2018, in a letter to local authorities, the Chief Planning Officer confirmed that the NPPF was being revised to implement the planning reform package set out in the housing White Paper, the Planning for the right homes in the right places consultation, and the announcements made in the 2017 Autumn Budget.

On 5 March 2018, Prime Minister Theresa May launched the overhaul of the NPPF, aiming to maximise the use of land, strengthen green belt protections and place a greater emphasis on converting planning permissions into built homes.

Mrs May said the cost of housing, both for ownership and rent, was reinforcing economic divisions and leading to growing social immobility, with public sector workers unable to take jobs in certain parts of the country.

She said: "The result is a vicious circle from which most people can only escape with help from the bank of mum and dad. Talking to voters during last year's election campaign, it was clear that many people, particularly younger people, are angry about this ... They're right to be angry."

Pending a consultation, May said the existing NPPF would be overhauled, with up to 80 proposals first put forward in 2017 being implemented. The key measures included:

10% of homes on major sites should be available for affordable home ownership.
Builders should be more open about affordable housing commitments at the planning stage.
Before issuing future planning permission, local authorities would be able to take into account the speed with which a developer builds on a site. Councils would also be able to consider revoking planning permission after two years if building had not begun.
Councils would have to adopt a new nationwide standard showing housing need in their areas.
Infrastructure would need to be considered at the pre-planning stage.
Ancient woodland and aged trees would get specific protection.
Homeowners would be able to add two storeys to existing properties.

But May's accusation of obstruction on the part of some councils led to a strong response from the chair of the Local Government Association, Gary Porter, who said:

"The truth is that councils are currently approving nine in 10 planning applications, which shows that the planning system is working well and is not a barrier to building. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of planning refusals are upheld on appeal, vindicating councils' original decisions. It is completely wrong, therefore, to suggest the country's failure to build the housing it desperately needs is down to councils."

Furthermore, Porter said that the government's proposal to appoint independent inspectors where councils were considered to be blocking housing development was "unhelpful and misguided." He also called for councils to be able to borrow to build their own houses, a proposal in line with Labour's housing policy at the time, and one that had been rejected by government.

In response to May's speech, shadow Housing Minister John Healey said: "This housing crisis is made in Downing Street. It's time the Tories changed course, and backed Labour's long-term plan to build the genuinely affordable homes."

[edit] 2018 revision

In July 2018, following the public consultation, the government published a revised NPPF. The new framework focused on the following key areas:

Promoting high-quality design for new homes and places.
Offering stronger protection for the environment.
Constructing the right number of homes in the right places.
Focusing on greater responsibility and accountability of councils and developers for housing delivery.

The revised framework enabled councils to refuse planning permission for any development that did not prioritise design quality or adequately complement its surroundings. It also encouraged councils to adopt new visual tools to promote better design and quality.

Councils were able to use the new 'rulebook' to calculate the housing need for their community, and deliver more housing when it was most needed. From November 2018, a Housing Delivery Test became available, helping to drive up the number of homes delivered in an area.

In terms of the environment, the framework was updated to further protect biodiversity by more closely aligning the planning system with Defra's 25-year Environment Plan. As well as protecting habitats, this also placed emphasis on air quality protection in relation to development proposals.

Secretary of State for Communities, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, said: "Fundamental to building the homes our country needs is ensuring that our planning system is fit for the future. This revised planning framework sets out our vision of a planning system that delivers the homes we need. I am clear that quantity must never compromise the quality of what is built, and this is reflected in the new rules."

However, the revised NPPF received some criticism, with the NFB chief executive Richard Beresford suggesting that: "The government has missed a golden opportunity to put this country on the road to addressing its housing crisis and solving the broken housing market."

John Acres, RTPI President, said: "...we must recognise the significant pressure the new NPPF requirements will put on local authority planning teams. It is imperative that chief executives, council leaders and politicians resource planning departments sufficiently, particularly as they will now be held more accountable for delivery under the housing delivery test and are expected to carry out more regular reviews of their plans."

You can see the 2018 revised NPPF at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-planning-policy-framework--2

[edit] 2019 revision

In October 2018, the government began a technical consultation on proposed reforms to the NPPF. The proposed changes would update guidance on housing need assessment and clarify policy on housing land supply, the definition of 'deliverable' and appropriate assessment. Ref https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changes-to-planning-policy-and-guidance-including-the-standard-method-for-assessing-local-housing-need

The revised NPPF was updated on 19 February 2019 and included very minor changes to the text. Ref https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/revised-national-planning-policy-framework

[edit] 2021 revision

On 24 June 2021, the government published plans to update measures to ensure fire safety matters are incorporated at the planning stage for schemes involving a relevant high-rise residential building. The requirements applied to applications for planning permission made on or after 1 August 2021 as a result of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure and Section 62A Applications) (England) (Amendment) Order 2021 ("the 2021 Order"). Ref https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fire-safety-and-high-rise-residential-buildings-from-1-august-2021

On 20 July 2021, updates were published to place greater emphasis on beauty, place-making, the environment and sustainable development, and to underline the importance of local design codes. Ref https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vision-for-building-beautiful-places-set-out-at-landmark-design-event

[edit] August 2026 revision

Following the consultation on proposed reforms that closed on 10 March 2026, the government published its consultation response and a fully revised NPPF on 17 August 2026 - the current version, available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-planning-policy-framework. This is described as the first comprehensive rewrite of the Framework since it was originally published in 2012, restructuring policy into separate plan-making and decision-making sections.

Headline changes are summarised in the Introduction, above, and include: the replacement of the presumption in favour of sustainable development with a permanent presumption in favour of 'suitably located development' (new policies S3 to S5); a simplified grey belt definition and a 'not inappropriate' test for grey belt and station-led green belt development, removing the previous need to demonstrate exceptional circumstances; revised Golden Rules on affordable housing for green belt release (50% on Local Plan-led releases, or 15 percentage points above the local authority's existing policy, capped at 50%); a 'default yes' policy and minimum density requirements (35 to 45 dwellings per hectare) for housing near well-connected railway stations in the top 80 Travel to Work Areas; confirmation of the 10 to 49 home 'medium development' category; new minimum allocations for smaller sites (1 hectare and under, and 1 to 2.5 hectares) within local plans, to support small and medium-sized housebuilders; and a requirement for at least 40% of homes on major developments to meet the M4(2) accessible and adaptable standard.

The government also confirmed continued use of viability assessments in limited circumstances (previously developed land with legacy costs, strategic multi-phase sites, and wholly different development types), retained the Vacant Building Credit within affordable housing policy, and did not proceed with a proposed widening of the definition of a 'veteran tree'.