The Government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) – the rulebook that guides how homes, infrastructure, and community facilities are planned and delivered across England. It sets out what local councils must consider when making planning decisions, so it has a huge influence on what gets built, where, and for whom. For rural communities, where the pipeline for new homes is already thin, getting the NPPF right is not a technicality. It is a matter of whether villages survive as living, working places or quietly hollow out.
English Rural along with sector partners including the Rural Housing Network, has submitted a formal consultation response, highlighting where the draft proposals could help and where they may unintentionally hold rural areas back. The collaborative efforts involved in our sectors response also reflect the hard work of rural housing expert, Jo Lavis from Rural Housing Solutions.
A key concern is that the current wording of the NPPF could push most development towards larger towns, leaving villages with very little opportunity to grow. While focusing development in more urban areas can contribute towards climate goals, it risks overlooking the needs of smaller settlements, where affordable homes are already in short supply and affordability acute. We are calling for the NPPF to make clear that sustainable growth should include both urban and rural areas.
A further risk we have highlighted is the increasing emphasis on regional strategies through devolution. While devolution can unlock opportunities, these broad regional approaches can unintentionally sideline the specific needs of rural communities—especially smaller settlements that require tailored, place‑sensitive planning interventions. It is vital that any future NPPF aligns regional policy with rural realities rather than defaulting to urban‑centric priorities.
English Rural also strongly supports proposals that recognise the importance of small sites and development outside settlement boundaries. In rural areas, these are often the only realistic mechanism for delivering affordable homes. Policies that widen the definition of Designated Rural Areas and protect affordable housing on small developments will make a real difference.
We also welcome national recognition of the role Rural Exception Sites (RES) play in delivering genuinely affordable homes for local people. However, the process for bringing these sites forward remains slow and complex. We are encouraging Government to go further, introducing measures such as a simplified “planning passport” for RES schemes to speed up delivery and reduce unnecessary procedural barriers.
However, rural housing partners have pushed back on suggestions that developers should be able to pay cash instead of providing affordable homes on-site. In rural communities, there are rarely alternative rural opportunities for councils to spend this money, meaning villages could miss out altogether. Affordable homes must be built within the communities they are intended to serve – that principle should not be negotiable.
The NPPF has the potential to be a genuine instrument of change for rural England. English Rural’s response to this consultation urges Government to ensure it reflects the rural realities with the same rigour it applies to urban ones. The affordable, sustainable homes that rural communities need are deliverable – but only if national policy stops treating the countryside as a footnote.
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