The UK authorities has introduced {that a} bigger variety of housing developments shall be exempt from guidelines requiring builders to enhance wildlife habitats, as a part of the publication of the brand new Nationwide Planning Coverage Framework (NPPF).
The transfer pertains to Biodiversity Web Acquire (BNG) rules, which at present require builders to compensate for any lack of nature on their websites. Ministers have been reviewing the foundations as a part of broader planning reforms.
Environmental teams have expressed concern, warning that widening exemptions may sluggish progress on nature restoration.
The federal government stated the modifications type a part of its wider planning overhaul, meant to assist the supply of 1.5m new houses throughout this Parliament.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook stated: “They won’t be with out their critics. However within the face of a housing disaster that has turn out to be a real emergency in components of Britain, we’ll act the place earlier governments have failed,” he stated.
In response to the publication of the brand new NPPF, Fergus Charlton, planning associate at nationwide regulation agency Michelmores, stated: “The federal government once more has the inexperienced belt in its sights as being ripe for improvement. A 12 months in the past they launched gray belt as a class of poor performing inexperienced belt on which housing could be constructed. Now proximity to a prepare station will additional erode the coverage safety given to inexperienced belt land, and this time the land’s contribution to the inexperienced belt functions won’t be taken under consideration.”
“Piecemeal unplanned developments will improve city sprawl and can encroach into the countryside, and won’t essentially ship inexpensive houses,” he added.
Lawrence Turner, director, Boyer, stated: “We welcome the introduction of a clearer, extra rules-based NPPF, with a stronger presumption in favour of improvement in essentially the most sustainable places and a renewed give attention to supply. Measures corresponding to a everlasting presumption for suitably positioned improvement, a ‘default sure’ round railway stations, and clearer expectations on city intensification ought to assist scale back delay and uncertainty, improve developer confidence, and unlock much-needed new houses.
“Specifically, we assist the strengthening of the presumption in favour of suitably positioned improvement. This could give native planning authorities larger confidence to simply accept the precept of improvement and focus decision-making on supply and high quality, front-loading certainty for builders, particularly on beforehand developed city land.
“The emphasis on constructing houses round railway stations is lengthy overdue, and we assist the proposed ‘default sure’ method. Nonetheless, minimal density expectations should enable enough flexibility to answer native context, together with heritage and townscape issues, flood threat, website capability and the provision of deliverable infrastructure. Equally, higher-density suburban improvement should proceed to fulfill established NPPF assessments regarding residential amenity, parking and design code expectations.
“We welcome the intention to scale back duplicated and inconsistent native requirements. This could assist velocity up plan-making and the dedication of software, giving certainty to candidates.
“Lastly, we additionally assist the stronger emphasis on bringing ahead small and medium sized websites, together with the introduction of a brand new ‘medium improvement’ class. Nonetheless, proposals to permit cash-in-lieu inexpensive housing contributions will solely work the place there are clear, strong safeguards to make sure this doesn’t merely displace on-site inexpensive housing supply.”
CPRE chief govt Roger Mortlock commented: “There may be tons to welcome on this draft revision to the Nationwide Planning Coverage Framework, not least a give attention to city densification, a recognition of the significance of rural inexpensive housing, and welcome assist together with targets to encourage extra SME builders.
“Nonetheless, any brownfield-first method wants enamel. Brownfield targets are nonetheless lacking. Our analysis exhibits that there’s room for at the very least 1.4 million houses on brownfield websites in England alone.
“Our predominant concern stays the rise of speculative improvement within the countryside, particularly in rural native authorities which have seen a large improve of their housing targets. Already, yearly since 2019, the UK has misplaced 3,800 acres of countryside on common – equal to the footprint of a small metropolis.
“We’re cautious of any automated inexperienced gentle for improvement within the countryside, together with within the Inexperienced Belt the place the federal government’s ill-defined “gray belt” coverage isn’t working. Our analysis exhibits that the overwhelming majority of recent houses accredited on ‘gray belt’ websites shall be constructed on unspoilt countryside, not the disused petrol stations and automobile parks the federal government promised final 12 months.”
