Now the dust has settled after the election, and the new chancellor of the exchequer has given her first speech since taking office, the Town and Country Planning team at Ridge provide a headline summary of the potential opportunities for developers under a new Labour government.

National Planning Policy Framework certainty

As confirmed in the speech by the chancellor Rachel Reeves on 8 July, the incoming government plans to “reform” the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), with consultation beginning “before the end of the month”.

Given the government’s strong majority, and its awareness of the need to provide certainty for developers, it is expected that the initial consultation on the NPPF will provide a reliable indication of the changes that will ultimately be made. With this level of momentum, a fully revised NPPF could be in place by 2025.

This means that, when the consultation is published, developers will be able to mobilise to deliver on sites with increased potential. Technical studies and early-stage, pre-application enquiries can be undertaken during the consultation period, with a view to formal submission once the new framework is adopted.

Mandatory housing targets

To meet Labour’s manifesto target to deliver 1.5 million homes within five years, the government has confirmed that the NPPF will include the return of mandatory housing targets.

The chancellor confirmed that local authorities will still have the power to choose where housing is built – but emphasised that “it has to be built”. The risk of housing locations being decided at a national level should ensure councils are motivated to focus early on where they believe homes are most appropriate, and to support their expedited delivery.

At Ridge, we welcome the return of mandatory housing targets. For our developer clients, this is even more reason to engage early with councils to promote the suitability of development sites.

More planners, but little improvement?

The chancellor’s statement confirmed that the government will recruit 300 more planners. On the face of it, this sounds encouraging – but with 379 local planning authorities (LPAs) in the UK, the provision of less than one additional planner per LPA is unlikely to make any notable impact.

Neither is it likely to be a quick fix: a 2022 report by the Royal Town Planning Institute found that more than 70% of councils had experienced difficulties in recruiting enforcement officers over the previous five years.

However, any investment in our already busy planning departments is clearly very welcome.

Green belt review

The chancellor stated that the deputy prime minister will write to LPAs making clear that reviews of green belt boundaries will be expected. The reviews will need to prioritise brownfield and “grey belt” land for development to meet housing targets where needed. Grey belt is described as “poor-quality scrubland, mothballed on the outskirts of town”.

For the government to meet its 1.5 million homes target, the review of green belt land will need to be heavily scrutinised in areas that would formerly have been protected, but which now have the potential for development. Consultation on the future NPPF is likely to provide further context on how green belt land will be assessed.

At Ridge, we are experienced in promoting green belt sites at all scales for our housebuilder and developer clients, and we will be actively monitoring local plan and green belt review announcements.

Wind-powered batteries

In her speech, the chancellor said, “As of today, we are ending the absurd ban on new onshore wind in England”.

The benefits of this are clear for the onshore wind industry but will also enhance the long-term case for appropriately located battery energy storage systems (BESS). Councils will need to look favourably upon planning applications that look to support the green transition.

We are actively promoting several BESS schemes and recognise their importance to a secure and sustainable energy supply for the UK.

What now?

These announcements and the new direction of travel have brought excitement and energy to a willing development sector. For developers and landowners to maximise this ambition and opportunity, it is important to undertake robust feasibility assessments to demonstrate why a site is appropriate and begin early-stage engagement with planning authorities.

This might include:

• Comprehensive land searches focused on areas of green belt and similar land that may previously have been considered inappropriate for development
• Representations to local plan reviews, calls for sites, and strategic green belt assessments
• Pre-application engagement with councils in advance of outline or full planning applications

How can we help?

Our Planning team has an established track record in assisting developers of all sizes to promote and secure planning permissions for schemes across the UK. As an established built environment consultancy with 1,200 staff and 13 offices across the UK, Ridge can provide a broad range of early-stage pre-planning services for clients. These include:

Town and Country Planning
Transport Planning
Architecture and Masterplanning
Civil Engineering and Flood Risk Modeling
Geo-Environmental Assessments
Geo-Spatial Services
Sustainability

And many more to get your project moving.

For more information about our services and how we can help unlock the value of your land, contact:

Nick Stafford is the Planning Partner and Ridge Land Lead. Contact Nick at: nickstafford@ridge.co.uk

James Smith is Planning Senior Associate based in our Winchester office. Contact James at jamessmith@ridge.co.uk

Giles Brockbank is a Planning Partner based in our Cheltenham office. Contact Giles at gilesbrockbank@ridge.co.uk

Guy Wakefield is a Planning Partner based in our Cheltenham office. Contact Guy at guywakefield@ridge.co.uk