The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) outlines the government’s approach to planning in England and must be adhered to by all Local Authorities. It influences key areas such as housing development, national infrastructure projects, and land use strategies.

The newly elected Labour Government has proposed major revisions to the NPPF, now open for consultation. These changes primarily aim to accelerate housebuilding to address housing shortages and stimulate economic growth, as well as expedite infrastructure projects, including onshore wind turbines and national grid connections.

Key Impacts on Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES):

• Increase in Housing Targets: The annual housing target for B&NES would more than double, from 717 to 1,466 homes, adding 29,000 homes over the 20-year span of B&NES’ next Local Plan. This represents a 35% increase in the current housing stock of 85,000 homes.
• Affordable Housing Requirements: Affordable housing targets would rise to 50%, up from the current 30%-40% (which is often unmet).
• Green Belt Development: It will become easier to build on the Green Belt.
• Design Standards: Some relaxation of design standards is anticipated.
• Renewable Energy: The policy would simplify the process for building solar PV farms and onshore wind turbines.

Transition Bath’s Consultation Response:

Transition Bath has provided formal feedback on the proposed changes, raising several key concerns:

• Housing Allocation and Infrastructure: While the proposed increase in housing numbers for B&NES is significant, the housing target for Bristol has been reduced. This seems like a politically driven decision that overlooks the strain on B&NES’ infrastructure, particularly its transport network, which is constrained by the area’s historic built environment. There has been insufficient consideration of how this increased housing will impact local services and infrastructure.
• Climate Change Act Compatibility: The current proposal does not adequately address the UK’s commitments under the Climate Change Act. There has been no assessment of the environmental impact of these changes. Construction is responsible for 10%-20% of the UK’s carbon emissions, and the embodied carbon in constructing new homes is 100 times higher than their operational emissions. While B&NES has a progressive policy (SCR8) that caps emissions for large developments at 900kg/m², Transition Bath believes that a stricter national limit of 600kg/m² is necessary to meet climate goals.
• Brownfield Land and Affordable Housing: The policy fails to address loopholes that allow developers to evade affordable housing commitments. For instance, at the Bath Gas Works site, developers have not delivered the full affordable housing allocation. This shortfall means more homes will need to be built to compensate.
• Support for Renewable Energy Infrastructure: Transition Bath supports the proposed simplifications to the planning process for renewable energy projects, such as onshore wind farms, solar PV farms, and national grid connections. These changes are critical to achieving the UK’s renewable energy targets.

Overall, while the proposed changes aim to address housing and infrastructure needs, Transition Bath emphasizes that greater attention must be paid to the local impacts, particularly on infrastructure and environmental sustainability