Plan making policy PM13

PM13: Setting standards is a new plan making policy that has been added to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Plan-making and national decision-making policies issued in December 2025 as draft. Which states:

• "1. Quantitative standards set through development plan policies should be limited to infrastructure provision, affordable housing requirements18, parking and design and place making, and where this will provide clarity and a high degree of certainty about the requirements that relevant development proposals are expected to meet. Such standards should:
  • a. Be justified, drawing upon relevant evidence of local characteristics and needs, while utilising or adapting relevant national standards where it is appropriate to do so (such as in relation to green infrastructure). Evidence in support of standards should be proportionate, in accordance with policy PM8, especially where relevant national standards already exist;
  • b. Not cover matters which are already addressed by Building Regulations, other than in relation to:
    • i. accessibility standards, for which local standards in relation to requirement M4(2) (accessible and adaptable dwellings) and/or M4(3) (wheelchair user dwellings) of the Building Regulations should be set in line with policy HO5; or
    • ii. water efficiency, for which it may be appropriate to apply the tighter Building Regulations optional requirement where justified, or exceptionally a more stringent local standard in areas of serious water stress.
  • c. Not cover matters relating to the construction or internal layout of buildings unless theyare to implement the nationally described space standard."

Bioregional, corporate and built environment sustainability consultants in their article NPPF consultation 2025 – what's new? Describe the newly proposed PM13 as 'one of the most striking proposals' of the proposed NPPF. "Under PM13, local authorities would no longer be able to set energy efficiency standards beyond Building Regulations, except in very narrow circumstances." It also notes that "The consultation also signals the Government’s intention to amend the Planning & Energy Act 2008 to remove the explicit power for LPAs to set higher energy efficiency standards for dwellings. If enacted, this also seeks to change how local plans can drive climate action."

The company goes on further to say that "Building Regulations alone will not deliver the reductions needed to meet carbon budgets. The Climate Change Committee has been clear: without ambitious local action, the UK will fail to meet its net-zero target. Restricting local powers now risks locking in emissions for decades and creating costly retrofit challenges."

"Local planning authorities also have a statutory duty under Section 19(1A) of the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 to include policies that mitigate and adapt to climate change. This duty remains, regardless of changes to the Planning & Energy Act. Courts have confirmed that national policy is guidance, not law, and local circumstances can justify departures, where robust evidence exists."

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