Housing

Housing

National Planning Policy Framework

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the government’s national policy in England. First adopted in 2012, it has been replaced several times since with revised versions, most recently in December 2023. The NPPF recognises that to significantly boost the supply of homes, it is important that a sufficient amount and variety of land can come forward where it is needed, that the needs of groups with specific housing requirements are addressed and that land with permission is developed without unnecessary delay. The overall aim should be to meet as much of an area’s identified housing need as possible, including with an appropriate mix of housing types for the local community. Strategic policy-making authorities should establish a housing requirement figure for their whole area, which shows the extent to which their identified housing need (and any needs that cannot be met within neighbouring areas) can be met over the plan period.

The NPPF states that to determine the minimum number of homes needed, strategic policies should be informed by a local housing need assessment, conducted using the standard method in Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). The

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