NPPF PM13: Setting standards

PM13: Setting standards 1. Quantitative standards set through development plan policies for infrastructure provision, affordable housing requirements, parking, density, and design and placemaking should provide clarity and a high degree of certainty about the requirements that relevant development proposals are expected to meet. Such standards should: a. Be justified, drawing upon relevant evidence of local characteristics and needs, while utilising or adapting relevant national standards where it is appropriate to do so (such as in relation to green infrastructure). Evidence in support of standards should be proportionate, in accordance with policy PM8, especially where relevant national standards already exist; and b. Not cover matters that are already addressed by Building Regulations, other than in relation to: 15 i. Accessibility standards, for which local standards in relation to requirement M4(2) (accessible and adaptable dwellings) and/or M4(3) (wheelchair user dwellings) of the Building Regulations should be set in accordance with policy HO5; or ii. Water efficiency, for which it may be appropriate to apply the tighter Building Regulations optional requirement where justified, or exceptionally a more stringent local standard in areas of serious water stress; or iii. Energy efficiency, for which any standards that go beyond the current or proposed Building Regulations should have a clear and robustly costed rationale which shows that there will not be an adverse impact on the viability and deliverability of development. Any such standards should be expressed as a percentage uplift of a dwelling’s Target Emissions Rate (TER) calculated using a specified version of the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) or other approved calculation methodology. 2. Quantitative standards should not cover other matters, or relate solely to the internal layout of buildings, unless: a. They are to implement the nationally described space standard; or b. They have a clear and robustly costed rationale, are proportionate and will not have an adverse impact on the viability and deliverability of development. Examining Plans