Government launches consultation to ease agricultural planning rules

Ministers say reforms to the planning system are needed to unlock growth and housebuilding

Ministers have launched a new consultation on planning reform that could make it easier for farmers and rural businesses to expand, while accelerating housebuilding across England.

Housing secretary Steve Reed has opened the consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), with proposals designed to streamline decision-making and give greater weight to developments that support local businesses, rural areas and domestic food production.

The reforms form part of the government’s wider drive to unblock the planning system and boost growth, with ministers arguing that current processes are holding back both economic development and housing delivery.

Mr Reed said the system was failing to deliver the outcomes people expect. “Right now we see a planning system that still isn’t working well enough. A system saying ‘no’ more often than it says ‘yes’ and that favours obstructing instead of building,” he said.

He said the consequences were being felt by those struggling to access housing. “It has real-world consequences for those aspiring to own a home of their own and those hoping to escape so-called temporary accommodation – we owe it to the people of this country to do everything within our power to build the homes they deserve.”

The consultation builds on earlier reforms and sits alongside the government’s ambition to deliver 1.5 million new homes. Mr Reed said ministers were now pushing further.

“We’ve already laid the groundwork to get Britain building but our planning overhaul was only the first step to fix the housing crisis we face,” he said, adding that he was going “further than ever before” to reach the target and expand home ownership.

While the revised framework has been welcomed in parts, countryside campaigners have raised concerns about its potential impact on farmland.

Rural charity CPRE said the draft contained positive elements, including support for urban densification, rural affordable housing and smaller builders, but warned that safeguards for the countryside remained weak.

CPRE chief executive Roger Mortlock said there was “lots to welcome in this draft revision to the National Planning Policy Framework”, highlighting “a focus on urban densification, a recognition of the importance of rural affordable housing, and welcome support including targets to encourage more SME builders”.

However, he warned that commitments to prioritise brownfield development lacked force. “Any brownfield-first approach needs teeth. Brownfield targets are still missing,” he said, pointing to CPRE research showing “room for at least 1.4 million homes on brownfield sites in England alone”.

Mr Mortlock said CPRE remained concerned about speculative development in the countryside, particularly in rural local authorities facing higher housing targets. “Already, every year since 2019, the UK has lost 3,800 acres of countryside on average – equivalent to the footprint of a small city,” he said.

He also expressed concern about proposals affecting the Green Belt, warning against what he described as an automatic approval of rural development.

“We are wary of any automatic green light for development in the countryside, including in the Green Belt where the government’s ill-defined ‘grey belt’ policy isn’t working,” he said, adding that CPRE research shows “the vast majority of new homes approved on ‘grey belt’ sites will be built on unspoilt countryside”.

The consultation on the revised NPPF is now open, with ministers inviting responses from farmers, rural businesses, local authorities and community groups before final decisions are taken on the future direction of planning reform.