The Government has announced updates to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), offering clarity for areas like Hertsmere facing acute housing challenges. While more changes are expected with the upcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the new measures reaffirm the national target of 1.5 million homes and aim to streamline decision-making processes while ensuring local accountability.
The updates include a clearer definition of Grey Belt land and reinforced protections for Green Belt areas. They also outline plans to redistribute housing targets, with an uplift in London and the South East, aligning with regional housing pressures.
Cllr Nik Oakley, Hertsmere Borough Council’s Planning Portfolio Holder, welcomed the announcement, particularly giving direction to how we achieve housing targets locally.
“Hertsmere is no stranger to the challenges of balancing development with the preservation of our green spaces,” Cllr Oakley said. “The new clarity around Grey Belt land will help councils like ours make informed, sustainable decisions. A great example is our Lyndhurst Farm development, which I was proud to broker earlier this year. It includes 80% truly affordable and social rent properties, setting a high standard for future projects.”
The housing crisis remains urgent, with nearly 1.3 million households on social housing waiting lists and 150,000 children living in temporary accommodation—both record numbers. Hertsmere Labour has been proactive in addressing this, ensuring developments like Lyndhurst Farm contribute to long-term solutions.
Nationally, progress is being made. Since the start of this Parliament, six major infrastructure projects have been approved—compared to just 57 in the entirety of the previous administration. Additionally, a £500m cash injection into the Affordable Homes Programme is set to help deliver up to 5,000 new social and affordable homes.
Cllr Oakley emphasised the importance of continued innovation and collaboration. “These changes show how we can work within national frameworks while devising imaginative solutions to meet Hertsmere’s needs. Our goal is to ensure that every family has access to a safe, affordable home, and we’re proud to be leading the way.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“For far too long, working people graft hard but are denied the security of owning their own home. I know how important it is – our pebble dash semi meant everything to our family growing up. But with a generation of young people whose dream of homeownership feels like a distant reality, and record levels of homelessness, there’s no shying away from the housing crisis we have inherited.
“We owe it to those working families to take urgent action, and that is what this government is doing. Our Plan for Change will put builders not blockers first, overhaul the broken planning system and put roofs over the heads of working families and drive the growth that will put more money in people’s pockets.
“We’re taking immediate action to make the dream of homeownership a reality through delivering 1.5 million homes by the next parliament and rebuilding Britain to deliver for working people.”
With ongoing changes in planning policy, Hertsmere Labour remains committed to putting residents first and delivering the homes we need.