Local Plan Watch - Spring 2024

This is our first update since the new National Planning Policy Framework was published in December and it highlights how its new requirements are playing out. As a reminder, these include:

1. Where an adopted Local Plan was able to demonstrate a five year housing land supply at examination, the tilted balance cannot be triggered by a housing land supply deficit for the first five years of the plan period.

2. Where this does not already apply, if a draft Local Plan has been published for consultation that includes draft allocations, authorities are only required to demonstrate a four year housing land supply.

3. Regardless of the local housing land supply situation, the tilted balance can still be applied through the Housing Delivery Test if delivery has dropped below 75% of the requirement over the previous three years.

In many areas the new Framework is incentivising faster plan-making because authorities with an up-to-date Local Plan or an advanced draft are now more protected from five-year supply challenges. In some areas, this has reduced the immediate opportunities that are available. In others, the Housing Delivery Test is having more importance because the same protections do not apply. In rare (but not unique) cases it is having little impact because there is already an up-to-date plan, a plentiful housing land supply and a good track record of delivery.

But watch this space, as we may soon have a new government. If Labour take control, they have vowed to reverse the latest changes to the Framework and introduce significant planning reforms.

To access our intelligence, click on the colour coded map for the latest position in each authority or scroll through our county-by-county commentaries for a summary of highlights. Speak to any member of our specialist local teams for more information.