In July the government published a consultation on a new national planning policy framework that will govern the scope and content of planning decisions and polices made at the local level. This will directly influence the content and policies of the next local plan to be drawn up by Cheshire West and Chester Council.
The government state that amending the planning framework, and universal, ambitious local plan coverage – are vital to deliver the Government’s commitments to achieve economic growth and build 1.5 million new homes.

The main features of this new guidance set out by the government are as follows:

• Make the standard method for assessing housing needs mandatory, requiring local authorities to plan for the resulting housing need figure.
• Implement a new standard method and calculation to ensure local plans are ambitious enough to support the Government’s manifesto commitment of 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament.
• Broaden the existing definition of brownfield land, set a strengthened expectation that applications on brownfield land will be approved and that plans should promote an uplift in density in urban areas.
• Identify grey belt land within the Green Belt, to be brought forward into the planning system through both plan and decision-making to meet development needs.
• Improve the operation of ‘the presumption’ in favour of sustainable development, to ensure it acts an effective failsafe to support housing supply, by clarifying the circumstances in which it applies; and, introducing new safeguards, to make clear that its application cannot justify poor quality development.
• Deliver affordable, well-designed homes, with new “golden rules” for land released in the Green Belt to ensure it delivers in the public interest.
• Make wider changes to ensure that local planning authorities are able to prioritise the types of affordable homes their communities need on all housing development and that the planning system supports a more diverse housebuilding sector.
• Support economic growth in key sectors, aligned with the Government’s industrial strategy and future local growth plans.
• Deliver community needs to support society and the creation of healthy
  places. And
• Support clean energy and the environment, including through support for onshore wind and renewables.

Civic Voice’s Response to the National Planning Policy Framework Consultation

Civic Voice is a national charity representing civic societies across the country. The government supports civic societies like the Chester Civic Trust as recently stated in a letter to Civic Voice from the government.
“We recognise the important role that civic societies play in promoting the interests of local communities and I would like to assure you that community involvement in place-making is at the heart of the planning system.”
Civic Voice is encouraged by this recognition and urges the Government to ensure that local communities’ voices remain central in planning and housing decisions.

Key points from Civic Voice’s response include:

Housing Affordability: Civic Voice emphasises that simply increasing housing targets will not automatically result in more homes being built or lower house prices. Without targeted reforms, the private sector may continue to prioritise high-end developments, leaving the urgent need for affordable and social housing unmet. Civic Voice calls for stronger public sector involvement and funding, empowering local authorities and housing associations to meet community needs.
Community Involvement: Civic Voice urges the Government to strengthen Statements of Community Involvement, ensuring that local communities have a meaningful role in shaping major planning decisions. Public engagement must be an ongoing process at every stage of development to rebuild trust and ensure local voices are not just heard, but acted upon.
Strategic Planning: Civic Voice supports enhanced strategic planning at sub-regional levels, potentially overseen by combined authorities, to address complex housing and infrastructure issues. Local housing markets should be assessed by regional bodies, with findings used to guide public investment programmes.
Net Zero and VAT Reform: Civic Voice highlights the urgent need for planning policy to support the Government’s net zero ambitions. Building new homes must go hand in hand with sustainability goals, ensuring developments are energy-efficient and contribute to carbon reduction targets. To this end, Civic Voice calls for reform to the VAT system to incentivise retrofitting and refurbishment of existing homes.

The Chester Civic Trust’s New Works Committee and Strategic Development Committee will monitor the governments response to this consultation and the way in which the revised NPPF will influence decisions on planning applications and on policies in an emerging new local plan for the CWAC area.