TO BE PUBLISHED January 2025
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Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference will discuss next steps for the planning system in England and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
It will be a timely opportunity for policymakers and stakeholders to consider proposed reforms to the NPPF following the Government’s recent consultation, alongside its pledge to build 1.5m new homes in England over the next five years, in addition to recent budgetary commitments of £50m aimed at expediting the planning process and supporting local authority capacity.
Delegates will consider practical implications and next steps for proposed reforms, which include:
- reintroducing mandatory housing targets and requiring local authorities to plan for them
- announcement of £68m of funding released through the Brownfield Land Release Fund to unlock disused brownfield sites
- broadening the definition of brownfield and strengthening the expectation for approval of planning applications on those areas
- identifying lower quality grey belt land within the green belt to be brought forward for development
- improving operation of the presumption in favour of sustainable development included in the NPPF
- supporting local planning authorities to deliver the housing and healthy spaces their communities need
- implementing recommendations from the Competition and Markets Authority’s housebuilding study
The conference will bring out latest thinking on the design and implementation of local plans following proposed reintroduction of mandatory housing targets, implications of the new decision-making processes at regional and national levels, and priorities for improved engagement between communities, local authorities and industry.
Delegates will also discuss the progress and outlook for the Government’s wider pledges on planning policy, including funding the recruitment of 300 new planning officers announced in the recent Budget, increasing planning fees, changing local plan intervention criteria, and building a new generation of towns. Sessions will consider the impact of proposed NPPF reform and stakeholder views, proposals for new towns, next steps for the provision of social and affordable housing, strategies for streamlining major building projects, and the potential for altering green and grey belt boundaries.
The conference also comes as the Government commits to responding to the ongoing NPPF consultation before the end of the year, aiming to clarify planned reforms to the planning system, as well as the announcement in the Autumn Budget that a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill is likely to be introduced to Parliament early next year.
Further sessions will consider priorities for reforming the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP), as well as looking at establishing new mechanisms for cross-boundary strategic planning, and proposals to require all combined and mayoral authorities to plan for housing growth.
We are pleased to include keynote sessions with: Dr Michael Bingham, Deputy Director, Planning Reform, MHCLG; Daniel Turnbull, Senior Director, Markets, CMA; Prof Paul Cheshire, Professor, Economic Geography, LSE; and Greg Hill, Deputy Chief Executive, Hill.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons and officials from CMA; Defra; OEP; DESNZ; DBT; DfT; HM Treasury; MOJ; Forestry Commission; Homes England; NAO; NIC; MMO; DfE; Planning Inspectorate; Isle of Man Government; and The Scottish Government.
