Agenda item

To provide an update on national planning reforms (2025-2026).

Contact: Johanna Scrutton, Planning Policy Group Leader and Mathias Franklin Head of Planning and Development

Cllr Graham Turner, introduced the agenda item advising the Panel that this remains a rapidly evolving area, with frequent changes to national guidance and policy. Despite the pace of change, the small team are doing a very good job interpreting and responding to extensive and complex information. The team is undertaking work as preparations progress towards the future Local Plan, including adjusting elements of the current plan to avoid unnecessary duplication pending updated policy guidance.

In summary, Johanna Scrutton, Group Leader, Planning Policy and Strategy advised the Panel that there has been a great deal of planning reforms over the past 18 months to two years, and this work is still ongoing. These reforms have resulted in substantial policy revisions and have introduced new legislation, particularly through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act, some of which the plan elements only came into commencement last week and the Planning and Infrastructure Act.

The scale and pace of recent planning reforms are considerable, representing the most substantial changes since the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework in 2012. The Government is seeking to provide greater certainty in the operation of the planning system, encompassing both the preparation of local plans and the timely determination of planning applications, together with the effective delivery of development sites arising from those applications.”

The government aims to move towards a more rule?based national planning system, with clear and consistent standards for applicants and developers. The Panel was informed that the information being presented will focus on the current reforms, ongoing consultations, and emerging proposals. This represents only a snapshot in time, as further guidance and additional reforms are expected.

The Panel was advised that one of the key reforms has been the overview of the National Planning Policy framework. A revised draught was published in December 2025, for consultation and the consultation date closes on the 10^th March 2026. The consultation comprises of 225 questions on the proposed structure, format, policies and content. The planning services have worked across the council, engaging with our other council services who use our plan and not just in the delivery of their own developments, but also in the delivery of council plan objectives.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has undergone substantial restructuring. The document now adopts a format more closely aligned with a Local Plan and, for the first time, includes a comprehensive set of 133 policies. These policies are divided into two categories: plan?making policies and decision?making policies.

The Government’s intention, is to make planning policy more accessible. It is to provide a comprehensive suite of national policies which must be used by all local authorities across the country.  The intention is to avoid unnecessary duplication within local plans and to limit divergence from national planning policy. This approach is designed to streamline plan preparation and prevent the creation of varying local standards, which can add complexity to the development process.

The Panel received an update on Chapter 2 of the draft framework, which confirms the government’s continued commitment to a plan?led planning system and its intention to secure universal coverage of Local Plans across all local authorities as soon as possible. The chapter sets out a revised hierarchy of plans, including the introduction of Spatial Development Strategies, representing the re-establishment of a sub?regional planning tier. These strategies will define a strategic vision for growth and change across the region, covering housing, employment, and infrastructure. Spatial Development Strategies are now formally recognised within both the NPPF and the Planning and Infrastructure Act,

The Panel was advised that secondary legislation is still awaited to clarify the detailed requirements for their preparation. For Kirklees, this will require close collaboration with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which will lead the preparation of the regional strategy, as well as with neighbouring authorities, to ensure that local circumstances, priorities, and ambitions are properly reflected.

The government’s intention to replace Supplementary Planning Documents with Supplementary Plans, which will have a more limited and focused scope. As part of this, existing documents such as the affordable housing supplementary guidance will need to be reviewed to determine how they align with the revised national policy framework.

The Panel was informed that Chapter 4 of the draft framework retains a strong emphasis on sustainability, with policies prioritising development within existing settlements and in locations with good access to services and sustainable transport options, including those identified under policy TR3. The intention is to support development close to key facilities, thereby reducing the need for travel and promoting more sustainable patterns of growth.

The updated NPPF also introduces several new annexes, which consolidate material previously dispersed across the NPPF and national Planning Practice Guidance. These annexes bring together the essential requirements relating to planning application validation, the revised standard method for calculating housing need, Green Belt assessment, and flood risk management. The government has not yet clarified the status or weight of the remaining Planning Practice Guidance that sits outside the NPPF; the draft framework refers only to its role in supporting implementation, and further clarification has been sought.

The Panel also received an overview of the twelve key development reforms set out in the draft NPPF (as detailed in section 2.18 of the appended report).  These reforms primarily aim to promote development in sustainable locations and ensure more efficient use of land particularly brownfield land through opportunities for densification. The reforms also link to national expectations for contributing to the delivery of 1.5 million homes and to the local requirement for 1,873 homes per annum over the plan period.

The Panel was informed that new plan?making regulations and processes have been introduced. Since the preparation of the report to Scrutiny, updated plan?making regulations were laid before Parliament on 4 March 2026 and are expected to come into force on 25 March 2026. The implementation of these regulations introduces new statutory requirements for the commencement of a Local Plan, including the submission and publication of a Notice of Intention to Commence a new Local Plan timetable, together with revised scoping consultation obligations. Cabinet will consider approval to commence work under the new plan?making system at its meeting on 24 March.

With the introduction of the new plan?making regulations it does not mean that all the work undertaken to date is redundant. The substantial evidence already compiled can continue to be used, subject to a re?scoping exercise to ensure alignment with the revised NPPF requirements. Officers will also continue to work with internal and external partners to progress site assessments, including those submitted through the call?for?sites process.

The Panel was advised that, under the new statutory requirements, the scoping and consultation stages must take place only after the publication of both the notice of intention and the revised plan timetable. As a result, some duplication of work will be unavoidable. These steps must be completed within a minimum four?month period before the authority can progress to Gateway 1, at which point an independent assessment by the Planning Inspectorate will determine whether the work undertaken to date satisfies the required standards. Subject to passing Gateway 1, the Council will then move into the prescribed 30?month plan?making period,

The government is making funding available to support the transition to the new plan?making system. Kirklees has already secured funding to assist with evidence gathering and in January has submitted an expression of interest for additional financial support. The decision was supposed to be made on the 6th of March, but that has been pushed back to the middle of March.

The Panel was informed that a further key consultation closing on the 10^th March 2026, relates to the emerging Design and Placemaking Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). This new guidance proposes consolidating four existing national design documents, including the National Design Guide, Design Processes and Tools, and the National Model Design Codes (Parts 1 and 2), into a single, streamlined and more accessible resource.

The proposed PPG is structured around seven elements of well?designed places, namely: liveability, climate resilience, nature, movement, built form, public space and identity. The importance of these principles in shaping homes and neighbourhoods that are durable, energy?efficient, and responsive to community needs, particularly in relation to long?term affordability and the cost of living in those homes was explained.

The Panel was informed that the guidance also clarifies how design principles should be applied through local design codes, marking a shift from the previous expectation for a district?wide design code. Local authorities will now be able to focus design coding on specific areas such as strategic allocations or masterplan sites. This more targeted approach is likely to be beneficial for Kirklees in the longer term.

The Panel was informed that the Planning and Infrastructure Act came into force at the end of 2025, introducing several provisions that will shape the operation of the planning service in future years. In particular, Section 53 of the Act gives the Secretary of State new powers to require mandatory training for members of planning committees and sub?committees, as well as to introduce a national scheme of delegation. These measures are intended to support more efficient and timely decision?making across planning authorities. The Council is currently awaiting the necessary regulations that will bring these provisions into effect.

In response to the information presented, the Panel asked questions and made comments including some of the following: -

-       The report mentions a permanent presumption in favour of suitably located development; can you explain what that means?

-       With regard to building homes around stations, including on greenbelt land, that seems to be changing the purpose of greenbelt.

-       Through the consultation process, has further clarification been sought from the government to firm up the definition and application of the ‘grey belt’?

Cllr John Taylor who was in attendance at the meeting and asked a question regarding the definitions of sustainability, and connectivity and, what does good connectivity look like?

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member and officers be thanked for providing an update on National Planning Reforms.