National and local policies will be given equal power when deciding whether developments are given the go-ahead, rather than local decision-makers being overruled.
National Development Management Policies are upcoming government guidelines for planning decisions first legislated for by the previous Conservative government in 2023.
They are intended to boost housebuilding by giving local authorities more national guidance on what housing is needed, potentially preventing nimbyism, though the government seemingly won’t look to overrule local authorities as much as initially thought.
At a housing, communities and local government select committee session this week, housing secretary Steve Reed said the national policy will be non-statutory.
Matt Morris, director of Nexus Planning, said: “The confirmation that National Development Management Policies will be non-statutory is particularly significant.
“Many in the sector had expected [them] to have primacy over Local Plans following the changes made in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.
“This shift means they will instead sit at the same level as the National Planning Policy Framework, and for some will feel like a missed opportunity to secure greater consistency and clarity in decision-making.”
The National Planning Policy Framework will be updated before Christmas, to sit alongside National Development Management Policies.
