Reforms to national planning policy

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 2 Feb 2023 Closed: 18 Mar 2024 Parliament page
The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee will be examining the Government’s current consultation on reforms to national planning policy, looking at the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the Government’s wider approach to planning reform. The Committee is expected to examine the Government’s proposed changes … Read more
17 Recommendations
8 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
8 Letters
2 Events
Activity timeline 14 events
29 Nov
2023
Report published
12 Sep
2023
Correspondence
18 Jul
2023
Correspondence
14 Jul
2023
Report published
27 Jun
2023
Correspondence
13 Jun
2023
Correspondence
13 Jun
2023
Correspondence
24 Apr
2023
Oral evidence
24 Apr
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
18 Apr
2023
Correspondence
13 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
13 Mar
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
24 Apr 2023
View on parliament.uk
Oral Evidence
Emran Mian · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Rachel Maclean · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
13 Mar 2023
View on parliament.uk
Oral Evidence
Councillor James Jamieson · Local Government Association Kate Henderson · National Housing Federation Richard Blyth · Royal Town Planning Institute Sam Stafford · Home Builders Federation
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Seventh Report - Reforms to national planning policy HC 1122 14 Jul 2023 25 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Not Addressed
Seventh Report - Reforms to nation…
Pause plans for further planning reform, ensuring stability for existing implementations.
The Government must see the merit in pausing plans for further reform, in order to allow for a period of stability in which reforms already introduced can be properly implemented, and any lessons from that implementation learned.
Government Response
The government does not commit to pausing further reforms, stating it is still considering responses to the December 2022 NPPF consultation and will continue its targeted approach to evaluating reforms due to resource constraints.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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5 Conclusion Not Addressed
Seventh Report - Reforms to nation…
Government lacks evidence to achieve national housing target with advisory local targets.
We support the principle of a plan-led system and are sympathetic to the Government’s wish to ensure more local authorities have up-to-date local plans. However, it is difficult to see how the Government will achieve its 300,000 net national housing … Read more
Government Response
The government reaffirms its commitment to delivering 300,000 homes per year and the role of the standard method for local housing need, but does not provide evidence demonstrating how advisory local targets will directly lead to more housebuilding, as requested by the committee.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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6 Conclusion Not Addressed
Seventh Report - Reforms to nation…
Proposed NPPF changes likely to hinder housebuilding despite increased local plan coverage
We are sceptical of the Minister for Housing and Planning’s confidence that greater local plan coverage will result in more housebuilding. If there is no longer a requirement for up-to-date local plans to continually demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, … Read more
Government Response
The government defends its housebuilding record and commitment to delivering 300,000 homes a year, referencing its standard method and commitment to Green Belt protection. However, it does not directly address the committee's specific scepticism regarding the effectiveness of advisory housing targets and the removal of the five-year land supply requirement in achieving these goals.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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7 Recommendation Not Addressed
Seventh Report - Reforms to nation…
Publish comprehensive analysis showing how NPPF changes will deliver 300,000 annual new homes
In line with its previous commitment to us, the Government must publish its own comprehensive analysis, as part of its response to the December 2022 consultation, to demonstrate how the proposed changes to the NPPF will facilitate delivering 300,000 Reforms … Read more
Government Response
The government states it expects to publish its response to the consultation later in the autumn/year, implicitly delaying the committee's requested September 2023 deadline, but does not commit to publishing the comprehensive analysis or evidence base for how NPPF changes will deliver 300,000 homes, nor to explaining any further delays.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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8 Recommendation Not Addressed
Seventh Report - Reforms to nation…
Set and commit to annual housing targets aligned with 300,000 net new homes per year
In order to aid transparency and accountability for housing delivery, the Department must set and commit to annual housing targets that are in line with the Government’s commitment to deliver 300,000 net new homes per year by the mid-2020s and … Read more
Government Response
The government reaffirms its commitment to delivering 1 million homes over the Parliament and working towards 300,000 homes annually. However, it does not commit to setting specific annual housing targets or detail how they will be achieved, instead referencing its existing standard method and ongoing efforts.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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9 Recommendation Not Addressed
Seventh Report - Reforms to nation…
Require Minister to explain government action if NPPF reforms reduce housebuilding
If the NPPF reforms, once they have been implemented, do result in a reduction in housebuilding, the Minister for Housing and Planning should write to us as soon as this becomes apparent, and should explain whether the Government intends to … Read more
Government Response
The government reaffirms its commitment to delivering 300,000 homes per year and protecting the Green Belt, but does not address the recommendation to write to the committee if NPPF reforms lead to a reduction in housebuilding or explain its future course of action in that scenario.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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Government Response AI assessment · 25 of 17 classified
Accepted 5
Accepted in Part 4
Acknowledged 6
Not Addressed 6
Rejected 4
Total 17 recs + 8 conclusions
Correspondence 8 letters
12 Sep 2023 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair dated 1 September 2023 concerning housing investment
Parliament page
18 Jul 2023 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State dated 17 July 2023 concerning housing investment and the National Planning Policy Framework
Parliament page
27 Jun 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Housing and Planning to the Chair dated 20 June 2023 concerning Alignment Policy
Parliament page
13 Jun 2023 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Minister of State for Housing and Planning dated 12 June 2023 concerning Alignment Policy
Parliament page
13 Jun 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Housing and Planning to the Chair dated 6 June 2023 following up her appearance before the Committee on 24 April
Parliament page
18 Apr 2023 To committee Letter from the Local Government Association to the Chair dated 24 March 2023 concerning reforms to national planning policy
Parliament page
28 Feb 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister for State for Housing and Planning to the Chair dated 21 February 2023 concerning planning reform consultations
Parliament page
7 Feb 2023 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Minister of State for Housing and Planning dated 6 February 2023 concerning consultations on planning
Parliament page