27/05/2026
🚧 Quick heads up everyone — we’re sharing this because planning rules nationally may be shifting again, and it could affect our area. Cllr Brian Evans has put this in plain English (without the usual planning gobbledegook). Over to Brian👇
[POST – CLLR BRIAN EVANS]
⚠️ Big changes may be coming to planning — and our communities need to be wide awake.
The Government has consulted on a draft rewrite of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
👉 This is based on current Government draft proposals — not yet final policy.
What this could mean in practice (if adopted):
1) Local Plans still exist
…but in more cases, national policies may carry more weight, which can reduce local discretion where national tests apply.
2) More “default yes” territory
The direction of travel includes a stronger presumption in favour of development in certain locations — including within settlements and, in some cases, development near railway stations.
3) Faster decisions, less wriggle room
The emphasis is clearly on speed and delivery — especially for housing and infrastructure.
4) The local fight shifts from “stop it” to “fix it properly”
If refusal becomes harder to defend, the real job locally becomes pushing hard on:
• roads and traffic
• drainage and flooding
• safety and access
• design and heritage
• enforceable planning conditions
👉 In short: real-world impacts, not just policy arguments.
The Reform view:
We back local control and infrastructure before development — and we’ll keep calling out any system that quietly shifts power away from communities while pretending it’s just “streamlining”....
If you thought planning was complicated before… congratulations, you’ve unlocked Level 2. 😅
📣 I’ll keep residents updated as this moves from draft to final policy.
Best regards,
Cllr Brian Evans.