English The new Labour government has gone early and hard with a major policy agenda to kickstart a house-building boom.
As a first step they are proposing some radical changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which sets out the overarching policies on which all English strategic Local Plans, and all English planning application decisions, are based.
We believe the current proposals are missing the once in a lifetime opportunity to use planning powers to create a system of regenerative and equitable land use that will balance the need for good quality affordable housing with the need to build a resilient UK food supply and restore our landscapes, rivers and soils.
There is a need to respond to the consultation to ensure that voices advocating for such a positively transformative policy framework are heard. Specifically, we believe that the new planning policy should:
- Ensure a supply of affordable housing for land based workers in urban, peri-urban and rural settings
- Include a presumption to approve applications for agroecological farms and market gardens
- Mandate that climate change, carbon sequestration and river recovery be material planning considerations
- Prevent the expansion of intensive livestock production units
- Support infrastructure for localised food systems, including markets, processing facilities and distribution hubs
- Enable regenerative new settlements which integrate new low-impact homes with food, water, energy, biodiversity and community requirements of residents and living systems
- Apply these principles rigorously to green belts to secure optimum resilience for both urban and rural communities in perpetuity.
Respond to thee NPPF Consultation
We encourage individuals to take part in the consultation by answering questions of relevance to agroecology, the green belt, low impact and community-led development, climate change and other related key issues. You do not have to be a member of any organisation to respond to this government process. The deadline for responding to this government consultation is 24th September 2024.
Out of the 100 questions in the consultation, we have identified those which are central to the interests of our organisations and together we’ve developed model answers for others to use, which you can find yma. You can submit your responses to the consultation yma. Feel free to use as many of our model answers as you wish.
You can also use the questions at the end of each chapter to make wider points on issues which you think may have been marginalised or neglected in the proposals; for example you could add more wide ranging comments reflecting your own interests, knowledge and experience or to make the case for the inclusion of agroecology and low-impact development in future policy.
Reach out to your MP
As we have many new MPs, including in the governing party, they will be open to approaches and suggestions from constituents – especially responding to this flagship policy initiative which has already triggered a backlash.
This is a great opportunity to let the government know that many people care about these issues; issues which are at risk of being overlooked or even damaged in haste to change established practices.
To this end we have prepared a Briefing Paper aimed at MPs which you can access yma.
An email to your MP about this will bring it to their attention, and a small group visiting their constituency surgery will have an even greater impact.
This will be a good way to establish connection to your MP in advance of new legislation expected within the year, and open a channel for you to help lobby for properly considered planning legislation fit for the future.
