As a planning solicitor, I welcomed the Government’s pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes before the end of the current parliament. It is an ambitious target, one that naturally raises questions about how the planning system will evolve to make such delivery possible.
Heading into 2026, the year ahead will be pivotal in determining whether this target can be met, with three major developments expected:
- A revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
- A new Local Plan system
- The introduction of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
On 16 December 2025, the Government published the latest draft of the NPPF, with consultation running until 10 March 2026. This draft has been described as “the most significant update since the NPPF’s introduction in 2012”. Key proposals include:
- Clear separation of functions: Distinct sections for plan-making and decision-taking, ensuring policies guiding Local Plan preparation cannot be applied when Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) determine applications.
- National Development Management Policies (NDMPs): Standardised national policies on common planning issues such as heritage, design, and flood risk. These will serve as material considerations in LPA decision-making, aiming to create consistency and predictability for developers and investors.
- Reinforcement of the plan-led system: Local Plans will sit firmly at the centre of decision-making, limiting the scope for LPAs to depart from them.
- Sustainability and biodiversity: Strengthened requirements for biodiversity net gain and sustainable development.
- Environmental clarity: Greater guidance on embedding environmental policies within Local Plans.
The New Local Plan System
Expected to be introduced in early 2026, the new Local Plan system represents a significant shift in how authorities prepare and adopt plans. The headline changes include:
- Time-limited preparation: Local authorities must prepare and adopt new Local Plans within a statutory 30-month timetable.
- Streamlined content: NDMPs will cover common planning issues, leaving Local Plans to focus on locally specific matters.
- Housing and infrastructure delivery: Local Plans will be central to meeting housing targets, with clearer accountability mechanisms.
- Examination and adoption: A shorter, more predictable examination process, focused on whether plans are “sound” and compliant with national policy.
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Currently being debated in the House of Lords, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes wide-ranging reforms, including:
- Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs): Modernisation of the NSIP regime, aimed at tackling delays in grid connections and introducing mechanisms for long-duration energy storage.
- Town and Country Planning Act reforms: Streamlining of local planning applications to reduce bureaucracy.
- Nature Restoration Levy: A levy payable by developers, administered by Natural England, to fund nature restoration projects.
- Environmental Outcomes Reports: Replacement of older environmental assessment regimes with a new outcomes-based system, focusing on measurable impacts.
Final Thoughts
The Government’s housing pledge is bold, but its success will depend on how effectively these reforms are implemented. For practitioners, developers, and local authorities alike, 2026 will be a year of transition; one that could redefine how housing and infrastructure are delivered across England.
I will publish more detailed information on these reforms as they progress.