Opinion: National Development Management Policies - Our Thoughts

National Development Management Policies: An Opportunity for Reform or a Missed Step?

The planning system has long been a complicated and time-consuming process. Over the years, many Government's have sought to simplify and streamline it. One of the most hotly anticipated proposed changes in recent years is the future introduction of a national set of development management policies (NDMPs). In this blog, we explore both the exciting opportunities and potential risks this change presents.

What are Development Management Policies?

Development management policies are typically set out in local plans, created by local planning authorities (LPAs) to guide development in their areas. These policies cover topics such as environmental impact, design, flooding, housing mix, and the location and composition of new development.

Under the current system, paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires local plans to be “consistent with national policy” in order to be found 'sound'. This has led to an almost endless array of local planning policies that largely replicate national guidance—albeit with minor variations. For developers operating across multiple council areas, this creates complexity. For local authorities, it imposes significant time and financial burdens—often with little real benefit.

A National Solution

To address this, recent Government's have announced their intention to produce a set of National Development Management Policies (NDMPs), which were first touted in 2022. The objective is to eliminate unnecessary duplication, resulting in more concise local plans focused on genuinely local matters.

Current planning legislation requires that decisions must be made in accordance with the development plan (e.g. local plan), unless material considerations indicate otherwise. One material considerations is the Government's own national planning policies set through the NPPF and NPPG.

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (LURA) introduces a significant shift. It will require planning decisions to be made in accordance with both the development plan and NDMPs. Crucially, where there is a conflict between an NDMP and a local policy, the NDMP will take precedence. This marks an important change, theoretically allowing the government to rapidly introduce national policies that override local policies, which often take years to develop. It also gives central government a powerful tool to drive a pro-growth agenda or pursue other strategic objectives for land development.

The Role of Local DM Policies?

LURA still permits the inclusion of local development management policies, provided they do not duplicate NDMPs and are supported by robust justification. In many ways, this aligns with current national planning policy. However, given that NDMPs will override local policies in the event of conflict, there is arguably little incentive for LPAs to invest time and resources into drafting local policies on issues already addressed nationally.

We believe local authorities should view NDMPs as an opportunity to reallocate resources toward strategic matters—such as identifying sites for housing and employment, and delivering major infrastructure. The result could be leaner, more effective local plans, to the benefit of developers, local authorities, and communities alike.

That said, enabling widespread creation of local DM policies could undermine the very benefits NDMPs are designed to deliver. We therefore encourage the government to clearly define and restrict the scope for local DM policies to avoid unnecessary duplication and inefficiency.

NDMPs: Where Are They, and What Will They Cover?

In our opinion, the effectiveness of NDMPs will hinge on three factors: their timing, their scope, and the extent to which local authorities embrace them.

NDMPs were first proposed in 2022. As with many planning reforms, progress has been frustratingly slow. The government previously indicated that a consultation on draft NDMPs would take place in 2025, and its recently published Industrial Strategy reaffirms this intention.

At the time of writing, this consultation has yet to be launched. Any further delay risks a cascade of complications for LPAs waiting to prepare their new local plans under the revised system proposed for later this year. The situation is further complicated by ongoing local government reform, with the abolition of some councils responsible for local plans adding another layer of uncertainty.

We believe the case for NDMPs is compelling. The government should be bold in both scope and ambition, ensuring NDMPs comprehensively address key policy areas. Otherwise, LPAs may face pressure to produce a wide range of local DM policies, many of which could be more effectively handled at the national level. For example, addressing climate change typically requires solutions beyond the local scale, and bespoke local environmental standards can create added burdens for both authorities and developers.

In our view, the additional work of preparing local DM policies will also risk undermining the government’s proposed 30-month timetable for adopting new local plans.

Conclusion

In our view, the success of National Development Management Policies will depend on both their scope and detailed drafting. If well-designed and embraced by local planning authorities, NDMPs present an exciting opportunity to streamline the plan-making process—allowing LPAs to focus on critical issues such as the scale and location of new housing and jobs.