National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

What It Is

The NPPF sets out the Government's planning policies for England and how they should be applied. It is a material consideration in planning decisions alongside the development plan.

Key Principles

Presumption in favour of sustainable development (para. 11) is the golden thread running through the NPPF. For decision-making, this means approving proposals that accord with an up-to-date development plan without delay, and where there are no relevant policies or they are out of date, granting permission unless the adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits (the "tilted balance").

Structure

The NPPF is organised into themed chapters covering achieving sustainable development, plan-making, decision-making, housing, economy, town centres, transport, design, green belt, climate change, natural environment, heritage, minerals, and more.

When the Tilted Balance Applies

The tilted balance under paragraph 11(d) is engaged when: the LPA cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, the most important policies for determining the application are out of date, or the development plan does not contain relevant policies. It does NOT apply where specific NPPF policies indicate development should be restricted (footnote 7) — including AONB, Green Belt, SSSI, flood zone 3b, heritage assets, and habitats sites.

Practical Tips

Always check the current version of the NPPF — it is regularly updated. Paragraph numbers change between versions. When citing the NPPF, reference the specific paragraph number and the version date.

Related Topics: Housing Supply, Design, Heritage, Green Belt, Ecology