The newly adopted NPPF is a welcome update, offering much-needed clarity on policies that the development industry has been waiting for since the General Election. It introduces significant changes aimed at addressing the need to increase housing supply to refining flood risk policies and promoting a vision-led approach to sustainable transport. These updates pave the way for a more practical, sustainable, and effective planning system. Here’s how some of our Planning Partners see the key highlights…

Delivering a sufficient supply of homes

“The Government has introduced several positive changes aimed at tackling the country’s significant housing shortage and affordability challenges. These include reinstating the requirement for councils to demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply, easing restrictions on building in the Green Belt, and setting mandatory higher housing targets.”

Guy Wakefield, Planning Partner

Planning and flood risk

“We welcome the clarification in the NPPF that the sequential test is only required for built development within areas of flood risk, rather than being triggered simply because a red-line boundary includes a flood risk area with no development planned. This resolves some recent confusion. However, it’s important to remember that ‘built development’ also covers access and escape routes.”

Nick Stafford, Planning Partner

Promoting sustainable transport

“The adopted NPPF maintains the vision-led approach to transport evidence introduced in the consultation draft, promising a meaningful shift in how Transport Assessments are carried out and encouraging investment in sustainable travel. The government has added a practical touch by focusing on “reasonable future scenarios” instead of “all scenarios” and providing clearer definitions for these and other terms. As we have already been applying a vision-led approach in our Transport Assessments, we are optimistic this will support smoother implementation.”

Sarah Matthews, Transport Planning Partner

Sarah Matthews, Transport Planning Partner: sarahmatthews@ridge.co.uk 

Nick Stafford, Planning Partner: nickstafford@ridge.co.uk 

Guy Wakefield, Planning Partner: gwakefield@ridge.co.uk