NPPF 2026: what it means for your next project
England's new National Planning Policy Framework, published on 17 August 2026, is now in place. If you own a building or are considering a development site, it is a reason to revisit your planning assumptions. The useful question is where the new policies strengthen your proposal, and what still needs to be resolved through design.
A clearer national starting point
The framework separates plan-making from decision-making. The development plan remains the legal starting point, while national decision-making policies carry weight alongside it. Annex A limits the weight of materially inconsistent local policies, except those examined and adopted, or made, against this framework.
For a project in London, begin with the site's planning history, borough policies and the London Plan, then identify the relevant national decision-making policies. A previous refusal is worth understanding closely: which objections concerned the principle of development, and which concerned the design? That distinction helps focus any fresh feasibility study.
Existing buildings: test what you already have
Policy L2 supports opportunities including vacant buildings, space above shops, upward extensions and infill, subject to relevant conditions. S4 supports development within settlements while retaining safeguards and grounds for refusal.
Consider an underused floor above a shop. Before drawing extra homes, test whether there is a workable entrance, enough daylight and a sensible relationship with the commercial use below. Compare retaining, adapting and extending the building on the same measured drawings. A promising use still needs a convincing layout.
For a house extension or conversion, establish the consent route early. The NPPF does not itself grant permitted development rights. Those come from separate legislation, with conditions and limitations; some proposals also require prior approval. Check whether planning permission is required before assuming a full application is necessary, or that no application is needed.
Small housing sites: look beyond plot size
HO6 addresses small and medium site allocations through plan-making. It gives no individual plot permission; relevant decision-making policies still apply.
A gap between buildings may look generous on a map but become much tighter once you draw entrances, refuse storage, neighbouring windows and usable outdoor space. Test the number of homes against those constraints before fixing a purchase price or development brief. Compare a comfortable lower-density option with a more intensive one, so the benefits and compromises are visible.
Near a station? Check more than the distance
S5 and GB7 provide conditional routes around stations, including in the Green Belt. Connectivity and infrastructure matter. Relevant major Green Belt housing must also meet the Golden Rules on affordable housing, infrastructure and publicly accessible green space.
Walk the actual route from the site to the station. A nearby platform may still mean a long detour, an awkward crossing or an inaccessible approach. For a Green Belt site, commission a focused assessment of the relevant policy route before treating transport access as the basis of the project's value.
Agree the evidence before drawing too far
DM1 and DM2 call for proportionate information and engagement. The scale and effects of a proposal should shape the evidence needed; necessary technical assessments still have a role.
Ask the design team to identify which unknowns could change the scheme. Access, flood risk, heritage, trees or neighbouring amenity may need early investigation, depending on the site. Commission the work that can influence the layout first. Discovering a fundamental constraint after detailed drawings are complete creates avoidable redesign.
Four questions before your next step
What is the opportunity? Define the use and the improvement you want to achieve, whether adapting a building or creating new homes.
Which route applies? Identify the relevant policies and consent process for this specific site.
What could change the design? Separate matters already understood from the surveys or advice still needed.
What should you compare? Test realistic options before committing to a layout, acquisition or application.
If you are weighing up a property or revisiting an earlier proposal, bring TNCO the address, existing drawings and any planning decisions. We can discuss the options worth testing and the information needed to move the project forward.
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