This government’s manifesto commitment to build 1.5m homes over this Parliament in England becomes more implausible by the day.
Publication finally, by last week before the Parliamentary summer recess, of the final version of a significantly re-structured, more directional NPPF as per the 16 December 2025 draft was meant to be part of that push – setting out the approach to be taken in new style local plans and spatial development strategies (to be in place by this Parliament) and putting in place sharpened pro-development presumptions in favour of planning permission in specified circumstances.
However, nothing came down the track despite much last minute speculation.
It was all not happening as I was heading off on holiday, by train as it happens.
OK we will have a new prime minister on Monday. But why should that have caused any delay? Why was the current version not published, if necessary with a health warning that it would be reviewed further in due course? Why was it not possible to achieve Burnham sign-off last week?
Because, now there are two possibilities: (1) Andy Burnham and his new ministerial line-up read it and publish it in September in its intended form (in which case we have lost another two months for zilch) or (2) they set about reshaping it, although in what direction is a mystery given that there is no hint of any change on direction which would impact on the document itself as opposed to routes to delivery of, for instance, affordable housing (in which case surely we are not looking at September but more likely December, once the redrafting has been done, read-outs taken, particular sounding boards sounded etc).
There was the usual end of term splurge of other announcements but no NPPF. And in London we of course had the publication of the draft London Plan for which surely there will be trouble down the line.
If this were my “out of office” email, in my absence…
- For more on that splurge: End of Term Round-up: CIL, Planning Fees, LGR and other news – Birketts (Nicola Gooch, 17 July 2026)
- For an assessment of this Labour government’s achievements to date: Best-laid plans? The Starmer stocktake (Matthew Spry, Lichfields, 17 July 2026)
- for that London story in particular and what it may mean for that national 1.5m homes target Mind the Gap: planning for London, and the death of the “standard method” — #planoraks (Zack Simons KC, 17 July 2026)
I would finally note that Parliament returns from summer recess on 1 September, but then there is the further recess for the party conferences between 15 September and 12 October. Christmas recess starts on 17 December. The draft NPPF was published on 16 December 2025. My prediction is that the final version will be on its first birthday, although please do prove me wrong MHCLG (or whatever your acronym may be by then, given the likelihood of deckchair rearrangements in the meantime).
Happy holidays.
Simon Ricketts, 19 July 2026
Personal views, et cetera
SIMONICITY 