How new planning policies could reshape development across England
Strategic Planning Returns
The Government has begun the year with significant momentum in its proposed reforms to both local government organisation and the planning system in England. Two consultations launched in February 2026 signal a major shift in how development will be planned and delivered across the country.
On 5 February the Government opened consultation on reorganising local government structures in fourteen areas that currently operate under a two‑tier system of county and district councils. A second consultation followed on 12 February exploring the geographies for new Spatial Development Strategy areas.
Together, these initiatives represent an attempt to restore a layer of strategic planning that has largely been missing since the abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies in 2011. Before that, County Structure Plans provided a strategic framework guiding development across wider areas. Their removal left local planning authorities responsible for determining growth largely in isolation.
"Major housing and employment growth cannot succeed without coordinated planning for transport, utilities and social infrastructure."
Why Strategic Planning Matters
Housing and employment development does not exist in isolation. Large‑scale growth inevitably requires supporting infrastructure such as roads, schools, utilities and health services.
District‑level Local Plans have sometimes struggled to demonstrate that these wider infrastructure needs can be delivered alongside development. In some cases, the Planning Inspectorate has concluded that proposed plans lacked sufficient evidence to support the scale of growth proposed. Where plans fail examination, the resulting policy gap can create opportunities for speculative development outside the intended plan‑led system.
The Government’s proposed solution is the introduction of Spatial Development Strategies (SDS). These strategies will operate at a broader geographic level and set development requirements for the local authorities within their area over a twenty‑year period.
Spatial Development Strategies
An SDS will identify broad locations for growth and coordinate strategic infrastructure planning across multiple authorities. Local planning authorities will still be required to produce their own Local Plans with at least a fifteen‑year time horizon, including site‑specific allocations.
However, these Local Plans will sit beneath the SDS and must align with its strategic direction.
In addition to identifying areas for development, Spatial Development Strategies will also be expected to:
• define the broad extent of the Green Belt and identify areas where change might be considered through Local Plans
• identify strategic opportunities for habitat creation, nature recovery and environmental enhancement
• set out the type, scale and location of key infrastructure needed to support growth.
Some parts of England already have experience of cross‑boundary strategic planning, particularly city regions with elected mayors. In areas that still operate under two‑tier local government structures, however, progress may be slower while the final shape of future unitary authorities is determined.
"Spatial Development Strategies aim to restore the strategic planning layer removed more than a decade ago."
NPPF Reform
Alongside structural reform, the Government has also consulted on significant changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation opened on 16 December 2025 and closed on 10 March 2026.
The revised framework reinforces the long‑standing principle that planning decisions should be led by the development plan. Under the proposed reforms, the development plan will consist of three key elements: the Spatial Development Strategy, the Local Plan and any adopted Neighbourhood Plans.
Both SDS documents and Local Plans will be subject to independent public examination. The consultation also
introduces updated guidance on plan‑making procedures, thematic policy chapters covering key planning topics and a proposed national validation checklist intended to streamline the planning application process.
Proposed Planning Reforms
The Government has begun the year with significant momentum in its proposed reforms to both local government organisation and the planning system in England. Two consultations launched in February 2026 signal a major shift in how development will be planned and delivered across the country.
Louise Follett MPhil MRTPI Principal Planner
Housing Delivery
Housing policy forms a central element of the proposed reforms. A new classification for development sites introduces a ‘medium site’ category covering schemes of between ten and forty‑nine homes on sites of up to 2.5 hectares.
Planning authorities will be expected to allocate sites across a range of sizes, including small, medium and large previously developed sites, in order to make more effective use of available land.
Proposed Policy HOU8 retains the preference for delivering affordable housing on development sites but also introduces greater flexibility. Where robustly justified, affordable housing contributions may be delivered entirely through financial payments rather than on‑site provision. This could help improve the viability of smaller developments.
The reforms also retain the presumption in favour of sustainable development. Policies distinguish between development within settlements and development beyond them. In certain circumstances, development outside settlements may still be acceptable, particularly where it helps meet evidenced housing need, makes use of previously developed land or is located close to railway stations offering strong connectivity to employment centres.
Economic Growth
Employment development policies emphasise the importance of considering the operational requirements of modern industries. Factors such as electricity grid capacity, water availability and transport access may influence where certain forms of development are most suitable.
Policy E3 is particularly notable in explicitly supporting freight and logistics development, recognising the growing importance of distribution networks within the national economy.
Renewable Energy
Energy policy is also strengthened. Policy W2 confirms that substantial weight should be given to the benefits of renewable and low‑carbon energy projects.
In addition, Policy W3 proposes that local plans should actively identify areas suitable for renewable energy generation. Current policy merely encourages authorities to consider doing so, meaning the revised framework could result in a more proactive approach to identifying suitable sites.
Environment and Green Belt
The proposed reforms maintain existing national policy regarding development within the Green Belt but introduce an additional provision. Housing and mixed‑use schemes located within reasonable walking distance of railway stations may be considered appropriate development where strong public transport connections exist.
Environmental policy also places greater emphasis on nature recovery. Local Nature Recovery Strategies and Protected Landscape Management Plans will be embedded more firmly within the planning system.
New developments are encouraged to incorporate integrated nest boxes, plant tree‑lined streets and create new areas of tree planting or community orchards. Protection for ancient woodland and veteran trees is also strengthened.
"Balancing housing delivery, infrastructure provision and environmental protection remains the central challenge for planning reform."
Looking Ahead
While many developers—particularly those working on small and medium‑sized sites—may welcome the increased flexibility proposed in the new framework, important questions remain.
Delivering Spatial Development Strategies will require substantial evidence gathering and coordination between authorities. In a climate where many local authority budgets are already dominated by social care and education responsibilities, funding these exercises may prove difficult.
There are also questions about the capacity of the Planning Inspectorate. Transitional arrangements encourage authorities to submit Local Plans by the end of 2026 with adoption targeted for 2027, potentially creating a surge in examinations.
Finally, the Government has yet to publish its anticipated consultation on changes to Biodiversity Net Gain requirements for smaller development sites. As these policies can have a significant impact on development viability, the outcome of that consultation will be closely watched across the industry.
Taken together, the proposed reforms represent one of the most substantial changes to the planning system in over a decade. Whether they succeed will depend not only on policy design, but also on the resources and coordination required to deliver them in practice.
