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NPPF 2024 vs draft NPPF 2025: Why saying “No” just got much harder

Learn how the draft NPPF 2025 shifts power from local authorities to national policy, restructures the decision-making framework, and systematically closes the doors that councils have relied on to refuse applications

By Ufuk Bahar

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Draft NPPF 2025 presented on a light grey background.
Highlights

Grey Belt demystified: From green to grey

The introduction of Grey Belt policy marks a seismic shift in planning, moving from an automatic presumption against development to a framework where well-designed, sustainable proposals have a clear pathway to approval

By Nicole Guler

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Aerial view of agricultural fields with visible boundary lines and minimal vegetation, illustrating the concept of grey belt land. The image highlights areas of low environmental quality within the Green Belt, suitable for sustainable housing development as part of Labour’s grey belt plans to address the UK's housing crisis.
Highlights

ChatGPT liked this house design so why would it fail planning permission

What begins as a harmless prompt may end in misplaced confidence because AI-generated house plans for planning permission must survive a series of rigorous real-world tests that no chatbot is yet to handle.

By Ufuk Bahar

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AI-generated 3D section view of a contemporary two-storey house with a flat green roof, large glazed openings and a landscaped garden, set between traditional brick suburban homes.
Highlights

How councils hoard unspent developer contributions while infrastructure crumbles

Councils have perfected the art of collecting developer contributions but abandoned the obligation to spend them, leaving £8bn stockpiled and communities without promised amenities.

By Ufuk Bahar

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Aerial view of a new UK housing development under construction with unfinished roads and empty building plots, symbolising unspent developer contributions and missing local infrastructure.

Latest articles

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ChatGPT liked this house design so why would it fail planning permission
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February 2026: Monthly briefing on property development and housing delivery
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Securing planning permission for C2 use class: Residential institutions explained
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January 2026: Monthly briefing on property development and housing delivery
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The dark side of land banking: When investment plots become worthless
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NPPF 2024 vs draft NPPF 2025: Why saying “No” just got much harder
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December 2025: Year-end briefing on property development and housing delivery
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Employer’s Agent explained: The unsung hero of design and build projects
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November 2025: Monthly briefing on property development and housing delivery
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Autumn Budget 2025: Changes for property developers and landlords
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MOST READ

Here are the current most popular articles from the more than 200 - with more added all the time - we have on our website. Pick one to be inspired or informed about the potential of great design or how to get planning permission on difficult plot types

Aerial view of a picturesque UK Green Belt area, featuring a mix of traditional and modern houses nestled among lush greenery. The image highlights the integration of residential buildings within the green belt, emphasising the need for careful consideration of green belt planning permission and sustainable development in such protected areas

How to get planning permission for building on Green Belt land in the UK [2026 edition]

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Green Belt, from the policy debates to what you need to know to build a house there

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