b'Local Government Lawyer 3Going to plan: Will the NPPF fix the housing crisis?The Government promised its reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework would unlock a wave of new housebuilding, but lawyers are divided on whether the changes are delivering. Adam Carey analyses Local Government Lawyer and Weightmans exclusive survey of local government lawyers on the NPPF amendments, resourcing pressures, and the real barriers to meeting housing targets.When the new National Planning PolicyBut six months in, planning lawyers areby Local Government Lawyer in partnership Framework (NPPF) came in to force individed on whether the amendments arewith Weightmans, just 20% of lawyers December last year then Secretary of Statedelivering a surge in build-out.identified planning law itself as a key barrier to for Local Government Angela Rayner saidIn fact, some warn that the regulatorydelivering on Whitehalls aims. the move would sweep away last yearschanges add another layer of complexity toInstead, legal professionals mainly blame a damaging changes and shake up a brokenplanning that will hamper already-stretched planning system which caves into the blockersplanning departments and further delay and obstructs the builders. The Governmentpermissions. The new NPPF in a nutshell hailed the changes as reforms that wouldOthers meanwhile argue that it is changes usher in an era of housebuilding rapid enoughto resourcingnot regulationsthat areAmong the reforms, the new NPPF to meet its lofty target of 1.5 million newrequired to unlock housebuilding.introduced the concept of grey belt land, homes built in this Parliament.According to exclusive research conductedwhich is defined as land in the green belt Will the changes to the NPPF increase thecomprising previously developed land and Will the changes to the NPPF increase the delivery of housing in your area? any other parcels and/or areas of Green delivery of housing in your area? Belt land that make a limited contribution to Green Belt purposes.Significantly decrease it 3% It also detailed new golden rules for developments on the Green Belt, Moderately decrease it 3% which require that developments deliver 50% affordable homes, increase access Make little difference 41% to green spaces and put the necessary infrastructure in place.Moderately increase it 34% In addition, the Government reversed changes to the NPPF introduced by Significantly increase it 17% Michael Gove in 2023 that labelled housing targets as an advisory starting point, rather than a mandatory goal.'