Labour's latest National Planning Policy Framework is disguised as an innocent sheep but carries the destructive characteristics of a wolf

The UK government is set to introduce a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. The focus of this framework is to ensure a consistent five-year supply of land for housing, with a renewed emphasis on housing supply and generous buffers.

Currently, fewer than 22% of local plans are up to date, a situation that the new NPPF aims to address. The framework proposes a shift towards a market led by a handful of volume house builders, who create lookalike homes. However, concerns have been raised about this approach, and alternative mechanisms for building affordable housing are being considered.

One such alternative is action by Registered Providers, Community Land Trusts, and local partnerships using smaller, sympathetic builders who prioritize beauty and local character. These efforts aim to provide homes and services in ways that work for people, the environment, and long-term sustainability.

The new NPPF also addresses the issue of outdated local plans by allowing housing unless exceptional circumstances apply where local plans are out of date. Previously developed areas of the green belt can be deemed 'grey' and the 'exceptional' reasons that can justify their release will include house building.

However, building houses in the wrong places is a risk. Examples given include building on floodplains, planting trees on peatland, installing solar farms on prime agricultural land, and overhead power lines in protected landscapes. To avoid such risks, a Land Use Framework is proposed to guide development to the right places, help the government deliver its targets, resolve conflicts, and achieve multiple benefits.

The crisis of people in genuine need of housing is another concern. The proposal is to address this by setting targets for affordable housing instead of overall housing targets. Efforts to build affordable housing and homes for social rent require different solutions, such as empowering local authorities and funding them to build, commission, or collaborate to provide social housing.

In addition to housing, the government has targets for energy infrastructure, new settlements, food production, and creating space for nature. These efforts need 'rocket-boosting' to deliver high-quality, affordable housing where it's needed, in both towns and the countryside.

Fiona Reynolds, the chair of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, former director-general of the National Trust, former Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and the author of The Fight for Beauty, has advocated for a strong, brownfield-first target to reshape and reimagine cities.

Lack of resources and skilled staff is a common reason for local plans to be out of date. The new NPPF aims to address this by ensuring that the framework is in place before 'building, building, building', not after.

The proposed changes aim to address the housing crisis in the UK, with a focus on delivering affordable housing and high-quality homes in the right locations. The new NPPF is expected to bring about significant changes in the UK's housing landscape.