Ready for the future? Navigate NPPF reforms with Tyler Grange

14 Oct 2024

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) guides development across England.

This reform could open new doors, especially where nature recovery meets climate adaptation and city building. Here’s our breakdown on the upcoming shifts and how they might play into your projects.

The Grey Belt: a new focus?

One of the most significant aspects in the proposed NPPF revision is the concept of Grey Belt land. Chapter 13, which focuses on Green Belt protection, has seen significant changes.

The update emphasises the priority of developing brownfield sites but introduces Grey Belt as the next option. This term describes land that only marginally contributes to the five purposes of the Green Belt but isn’t situated in areas of high environmental value like Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) or National Parks.

This change prompts some big questions: Does the reform go far enough, and how will this new grey belt classification impact development decisions?

One concern is that focusing on Green Belt, including grey belt areas, might overshadow other vital factors such as landscape quality and biodiversity. While prioritising brownfield sites isn’t a new strategy, introducing the Grey Belt risks placing too much emphasis on Green Belt status at the expense of ecological value.

Charting a new course for Green Belt land use

Paragraphs 142 and 152 set a new, higher bar for releasing Green Belt land. Now, it must be shown that such a release wouldn’t “fundamentally undermine” the Green Belt’s function across the entire Local Planning Authority (LPA) area. This shift focus from local changes to a broader perspective, raising the standard for what counts as harm.

This change could benefit our clients

It ensures a more predictable and strategic framework for development near Green Belt areas. With the higher threshold for releasing Green Belt land, there’s a clearer criteria to meet, which can help in planning and proposing developments. This means that our clients can be more confident in their investment decisions, understanding the stricter regulations mean fewer unexpected changes.

The guidelines also discourage ‘haphazard’ releases, promoting a more strategic approach. This could help reduce the piecemeal Green Belt releases we’ve seen before.

A step forward but could we do more?

There’s promising language around improving public greenspace. It includes plans for new or better public greenspaces, which is great, though it could be even stronger. While this is a step up, we think the push for the Green Belt to offer more public benefits should be firmer. But this does open doors for our clients to show off their enhancements in public space provision.

Also, the reform creates big opportunities to bring together nature recovery and climate adaptation efforts. Sites near urban areas and connected to larger green spaces are crucial for tackling climate issues like heat, air quality and water problems, including managing stormwater, building drought resilience and conserving water. This focus on climate and ecosystem services, although new to the original Green Belt criteria, is now a top priority in many areas.

Climate and nature recovery need a big-picture approach and a solid plan. The reform’s nod to green infrastructure, coupled with a focus on environmental goals, is a welcome step. It shows we’re getting better at seeing how individual development sites fit into the larger battle against climate change and the push for better biodiversity.

Planning for climate change and biodiversity

As anticipated, the reform signals a renewed support for onshore wind farms. At Tyler Grange, we’re ready to jump in with these projects, leveraging our broad experience across England and Wales.

In terms of biodiversity, the commitment to mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) stands firm. There’s no relaxing of the Habitats Regulations — something that was considered by the previous Government to ease planning permission backlogs. It’s reassuring to know this practical approach to environmental protection remains intact.

Trees and their critical role

The text content on arboricultural matters remains aligned with previous guidelines. Section 12, Para 133 (formerly Para 136) of the NPPF highlights trees’ crucial roles in urban quality and climate change mitigation. The policy aims to ensure new streets are tree-lined and incorporates trees in new developments. There’s also a strong push for long-term maintenance plans for newly planted trees and retaining existing ones wherever possible.

Defining ancient and veteran trees

The NPPF still includes a clear definition of ancient and veteran trees in Annex 2 within the Glossary, unchanged: a tree is termed ancient or veteran based on its age, size and condition. It must meet all three criteria to be categorised as such. This precise definition is vital for consistent identification and preservation efforts.

Here’s a twist: the definition of veteran trees isn’t uniform across all documents, leading to a bit of a head-scratcher in identification during new developments. At Tyler Grange, we cut through the confusion with a tight-knit, cross-discipline approach to keep our tree ID sharp and on point.

Guarding ancient woodlands and their cohorts

The status of ancient woodland, along with ancient and veteran trees, remains firmly planted as irreplaceable habitats. Para 186, item ‘c,’ lays it out: any development that risks these habitats should be a no-go unless there are extraordinary reasons and a solid plan to make up for the loss. Examples of such extraordinary cases might include essential infrastructure projects where the broader public good clearly overshadows the environmental downsides.

Rooted in tradition, growing with the times

While our approach to tree policies and assessments with the NPPF might seem like “business as usual,” we’re actually branching out. The increased demand for skilled arboricultural consulting, driven by a surge in housing developments and renewable energy initiatives, has prompted us to expand our team and enhance our expertise. We’re digging deeper into these complex issues — expect to hear more about our growth and initiatives soon.

Promising changes with a side of caution

The proposed NPPF reforms introduce encouraging updates, especially by highlighting the diverse benefits of Green Belt releases. The reforms also make significant strides by weaving climate adaptation and nature recovery into strategic planning.

But a lot of the essential details are tucked away in the accompanying notes rather than being front and centre in the main NPPF document. We’re hopeful these key points will be fully incorporated into the final version.

Tyler Grange is geared up for the shifts these reforms will bring. Curious about how these changes could impact your projects? Reach out. We’re here to help you steer through this changing terrain.

Get in touch.