Select Committee · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee

Reforms to national planning policy

Status: Closed Opened: 2 Feb 2023 Closed: 18 Mar 2024 17 recommendations 8 conclusions 1 report

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 to the NPPF, the approach …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Seventh Report - Reforms to national planning policy HC 1122 14 Jul 2023 25 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
4 Recommendation Seventh Report - Reforms to national pl… Accepted in Part

Urgently conduct and publish impact assessments for all future NPPF changes, with clear timelines.

The Government should urgently conduct and publish impact assessments on all future NPPF changes. It should take a more strategic approach to future consultations, including publishing timelines for the implementation of its proposed reforms. (Paragraph 22) The national housing target

Government response. The government states it will continue to consider the potential impacts, including equalities, of NPPF changes, but indicates a targeted approach to evaluation due to resource constraints and does not commit to publishing all impact assessments or timelines for future …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
16 Recommendation Seventh Report - Reforms to national pl… Accepted in Part

Delay abolishing the Duty to Cooperate until a new regional housing alignment policy is published

The Government should ensure that the new alignment policy requires local authorities to work together on housing delivery, or introduce other mechanisms to encourage regional cooperation between local authorities on housing delivery. The detail of the new alignment policy must be defined, consulted on, and a final policy published, before …

Government response. The government accepts the need for continued cooperation, stating the Duty to Cooperate will remain in place until June 2025, and intends to introduce new joint spatial development strategies and supplementary plans to encourage regional cooperation.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
21 Recommendation Seventh Report - Reforms to national pl… Accepted in Part

Outline ‘test and learn’ process and timeline for piloting the new Infrastructure Levy regime

Whilst piloting the new IL is a sensible approach, the Government must outline from the outset exactly how the ‘test and learn’ process will work and set out a limited timeline. The Government should make adjustments where appropriate as part of ‘test and learn’, to ensure that the new regime …

Government response. The government commits to further consultation and a "Test and Learn" approach for the Infrastructure Levy, stating that necessary changes can be made and further details on the process will be provided as policy design progresses, but does not specify …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
25 Recommendation Seventh Report - Reforms to national pl… Accepted in Part

Subject National Development Management Policies to full parliamentary scrutiny before implementation

Each draft NDMP should be subject to full and proper parliamentary scrutiny before coming into force. Any draft NDMP which would have the effect of superseding the plan-led system should be carefully considered in Parliament on a case-by-case basis. 40 Reforms to national planning policy The Government should table an …

Government response. The government states National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) will not supersede the plan-led system and will be subject to public consultation, allowing Parliamentarians to scrutinise them, but does not commit to making them subject to the same formal parliamentary requirements …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
24 Apr 2023 Emran Mian · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Rachel Maclean · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities View ↗
13 Mar 2023 Councillor James Jamieson · Local Government Association, Kate Henderson · National Housing Federation, Richard Blyth · Royal Town Planning Institute, Sam Stafford · Home Builders Federation View ↗

Correspondence

8 letters
DateDirectionTitle
12 Sep 2023 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State to the Chair dated 1 September 2023 concerni…
18 Jul 2023 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State dated 17 July 2023 concerning h…
27 Jun 2023 To cttee Letter from the Minister of State for Housing and Planning to the Chair dated 2…
13 Jun 2023 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Minister of State for Housing and Planning dated 1…
13 Jun 2023 To cttee Letter from the Minister of State for Housing and Planning to the Chair dated 6…
18 Apr 2023 To cttee Letter from the Local Government Association to the Chair dated 24 March 2023 c…
28 Feb 2023 To cttee Letter from the Minister for State for Housing and Planning to the Chair dated …
7 Feb 2023 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Minister of State for Housing and Planning dated 6…