The UK Government published (on 16 December) new proposed changed to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and launched a consultation seeking feedback on this round of proposed revisions to the NPPF.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has said that the changes will ‘help optimise land use through well-designed, higher-density development, simplified biodiversity rules for smaller sites – and fast-track good housing projects that meet national standards for energy efficiency.’

CIHT welcomes the launch of this consultation and the additional opportunity to represent the views of the highways and transport sector on the proposals.

The UK Government has acknowledged that reform is needed to the English planning system to deliver on its commitments.

More information on the proposed reforms to the NPPS are available to read here.

The UK Government previously proposed revisions to the NPPF in 2024, which were finalised and published in December that year.

In our response to the Government’s last set of proposed revisions to the NPPF, we called for:

·         Removal of the word “only” from paragraph 116, which limits the conditions on which development can be refused on transport grounds to impacts on safety or the road network. Reference to the suite of Manual for Streets guidance to ensure its principles are fully embedded in the planning system.

·         Integration of Department for Transport (DfT) methodologies through reference to transport-related guidance and reference to DfT’s postcode-based connectivity tool for assessing/scoring the sustainability of a potential development site.

The latest proposals reflect a major restructuring of the NPPF, including consolidating current Framework paragraphs 115(d), 116, and 118 on assessing transport impacts. References to DfT's Connectivity Tool and Manual for Streets have also been included. We welcome that these changes reflect calls made by CIHT previously.

CIHT will be working with CIHT members to provide a fuller analysis and response to the proposals in 2026.

CIHT looks forward to working with the MHCLG and the UK Government on ensuring the planning system is able to deliver homes that ensure the availability of local services and provide people with real choices and appropriate alternatives to private car use.  

Background

The NPPF set out the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. The NPPF has been revised and updated a number of times since it was first published in 2012, with the last major revision being published in December 2024.

Read the consultation document here

Read the draft revised NPPF here

CIHT will be responding to the consultation. To join the conversation and share your views, please email technical@ciht.org.uk