The draft National Planning Policy Framework, a new direction and a new balance

The government published its draft National Planning Policy Framework on 16 December 2025 (“New NPPF”) proposing significant changes to the current NPPF (December 2024). Here are a few of the highlights.

The New NPPF represents more than a cosmetic update. Its structure has been radically re-set, with new numbering likely to pose an initial challenge – but more fundamentally it signals strategic planning is back! Policy PM1 anticipates a move towards national coverage of spatial development strategies intended to be at least a 20-year vision with high-level focus on genuinely strategic, cross-boundary issues leaving the detailed policy to other plans.  However, the accompanying National Development Management Policies remain, disappointingly, non-statutory, limiting their potential effectiveness but we are told the Government is keeping an open mind.

The transitional provisions

Decision-making

The New NPPF will immediately be a material consideration from the day it is adopted. An initial period of delay is inevitable whilst individuals, organisations and decision-makers seek to understand and apply the New NPPF.  The consultation states there is an expectation that any overlap/inconsistencies with development plans will fall away over time because plans prepared against the New NPPF should not repeat, duplicate or modify policies covered by the existing framework.

The question pending adoption, is whether decision-makers will seek to apply weight now and if so, to what extent? There is currently inconsistency between decision-makers but ultimately given the infancy of the New NPPF, decision-makers should apply weight with caution.

Plan-making

Plans currently being considered will need to accord with the current framework. New plans will need to be considered against the New NPPF.

A new approach to the presumption in favour of sustainable development

Policy S4 – Applies the presumption to all types of development proposals within settlements unless the benefits of doing so would be substantially outweighed by any adverse effects, the default ‘yes’ to brownfield schemes within settlements.

Policy S5 – Applies the presumption to certain forms of developments outside settlements confirmed in (a) – (j) of Policy S5 1 (i.e. a failure to evidence five-year housing land supply, PDL, limited infilling and development for housing within a reasonable walking distance of a railway station etc.), unless the benefits of doing so would be substantially outweighed by any adverse effects. Falling outside (a) – (j) of what of Policy S5 1 removes the presumption and the proposal should be refused unless there are exceptional circumstances.

This new approach enables a wider application of the presumption to a broader category of development and provides consistency, particularly boosting developments within settlements. As always, the devil is in the interpretation of the detail and the drafting does create room for debate.

The new focus on railway stations

The New NPPF places a strong emphasis on public transport accessibility, particularly developments being within reasonable walking distance of a railway station which provides a high level of connectivity to jobs and services (this even applies to developments in the green belt albeit with slightly different wording (‘capable of providing’ (policy GB7 para 1(h) (i)) versus ‘which provides’ (Policy S5 para 1 (h)),-  one for the consultation response.

Under the New NPPF, well-connected railway stations are only those located within the 60 areas it identifies (‘Travel to Work Areas’). As currently drafted, the policy gives rise to questions such as why has the Travel to Work Areas been capped at 60 and excludes major towns with significant development potential? The phrases ‘reasonable walking distance’ and ‘physically well-related to a railway station’ are also fairly ambiguous.

Whilst some tightening of the wording is required, overall, this new focus provides clear benefits and will deliver much needed development in appropriate locations.

What’s next?

Responses to the consultation must be submitted before 10 March 2026. We will continue to closely monitor progress of the New NPPF and provide updates accordingly.