In 2025, Curia will work with local government to set out ways in which they can proactively work to deliver the Government’s ambitious planning reforms.
The announcement of the Government’s updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) represents a significant marker in addressing the UK’s long-standing housing crisis. With ambitious targets to deliver 1.5 million new homes over five years and an annual goal of 370,000 homes, the reforms seek to streamline processes, protect green spaces, and bolster affordable housing. To achieve this objective, local government is critical. Although much of the coverage of the last 24 hours has been on local government critical or concerned about meeting these targets, there are many who are supportive of the reforms and Curia will be working with them to support their ideas for delivery. While the vision is bold, the path to implementation remains fraught with challenges that will require meticulous planning and co-ordinated effort across multiple sectors.
As a policy institute, Curia’s focus is on supporting the successful implementation of these reforms. Effective delivery is as critical as the policy’s content. To achieve this, Curia will facilitate engagement between government, local authorities, and industry stakeholders through a series of roundtables under our Industrial Strategy Research Group. Drawing on our experience in policy design and implementation, we have identified three key areas requiring urgent attention to ensure the NPPF’s success: enhancing local government capacity, future-proofing the economy, and ensuring sustainable development.
1. Enhancing Local Government Capacity
One of the most immediate challenges facing planning reform is the capacity and capability of local authorities. Councils are expected to deliver 370,000 homes annually while aligning local plans with the NPPF within a 12-week period. This is an ambitious ask, especially considering the existing constraints on local government resources.
Key Issues to Address:
· Skills and Workforce Deficit: The pledge to hire 300 additional planning officers is a step in the right direction, but it is insufficient to meet the scale of reform. The planning profession is already experiencing a skills shortage, exacerbated by Brexit’s impact on labour mobility.
· Funding and Resources: While the Government’s commitment of £100 million in 2024 is welcome, further investment is required to support capacity building within local planning departments. Without sufficient resources, councils will struggle to manage increased workloads and deliver on accelerated timelines.
· Local Autonomy and Accountability: While the NPPF seeks to streamline decision-making, the emphasis on a “presumption in favour of sustainable development” risks reducing local autonomy. If councils are unable to meet targets, central government’s intervention could create tension between local and national priorities.
Curia’s Role: Curia’s Industrial Strategy Research Group will facilitate roundtables with local government leaders, planning experts, and sector specialists to identify practical solutions for capacity-building. The aim is to co-develop a framework for resource allocation and skills development. We will also explore how digital tools and data-driven decision-making can support more effective planning processes.
2. Future-Proofing for the Economy of Tomorrow
As we look to 2050 and beyond, planning must be aligned with the demands of the future economy. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and emerging technologies will reshape the nature of work, transport, and living spaces. The planning system must be agile enough to anticipate and accommodate these changes.
Key Issues to Address:
· Digital Infrastructure: AI-driven industries and other high-tech sectors require modern infrastructure, such as high-speed internet, digital connectivity, and technology hubs. It is essential that housing developments include space for co-working, smart technology integration, and enhanced connectivity.
· Economic Hubs and Clusters: The creation of strategic economic zones – such as AI innovation hubs or digital corridors – will require the identification and prioritisation of specific sites. This requires a planning approach that recognises the distinct needs of future economic activity.
· Skills and Employment Shifts: The future of work is changing, and planning reform must be linked to industrial strategy. Developments should be designed with flexible, multi-use spaces that allow for co-working, hybrid working, and training facilities to support reskilling initiatives for local residents.
Curia’s Role: Curia will convene roundtables with industry leaders, tech firms, and local authorities to develop a strategy for “future economy” proofing. Our approach will focus on embedding future-oriented design principles into planning guidelines, ensuring that areas targeted for development are equipped to support the UK’s digital economy. We will also advocate for a requirement to assess economic foresight as part of local planning submissions.
3. Embedding Sustainable Development Principles
The planning reforms outline a commitment to sustainability, but critical gaps remain in addressing climate resilience, retrofitting existing housing stock, and aligning with the UK’s climate commitments. Sustainability must be at the heart of new development, ensuring that homes are not only fit for today’s needs but also for a low-carbon future.
Key Issues to Address:
· Greenbelt Preservation and Brownfield Development: The prioritisation of brownfield and grey belt sites is a positive step, but clearer guidance is required on how “exceptional circumstances” for greenbelt development will be defined. This ambiguity could create delays in planning decisions and raise public opposition.
· Climate-Resilient Housing: New builds must be designed to withstand future climate shocks, such as flooding and heatwaves. Currently, there is a lack of clear guidance on integrating climate resilience into the design of new developments.
· Net Zero and Retrofit Programmes: While the NPPF focuses on new builds, it does not sufficiently address the retrofitting of existing homes – a key issue for meeting the UK’s net-zero targets. Retrofitting requires significant investment and a dedicated strategy to ensure older housing stock meets energy efficiency standards.
Curia’s Role: Curia’s roundtables will engage local authorities, environmental groups, and housing associations to develop practical guidance on embedding sustainability into planning processes. Continuing the work of the Transforming Communities report published at the 2024 Labour Party Conference, we will advocate for the development of clear, enforceable sustainability metrics to guide local authorities in assessing planning applications. Our work will also focus on scaling up retrofit initiatives, urging the government to adopt a dual approach that addresses both new builds and existing housing stock.
Final Thought
The Government’s NPPF reforms present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform housing delivery in the UK. However, as with any significant policy shift, success will depend on effective implementation in partnership with local government. Enhancing local government capacity, future-proofing for economic changes, and embedding sustainability principles are critical to ensuring the reforms’ long-term impact.
Curia’s role as a policy institute with a network of thousands of local government leaders across the UK is to bridge the gap between policy ambition and practical delivery. Through our Industrial Strategy Research Group, we will facilitate roundtables and co-develop solutions with key stakeholders, ensuring the voices of local authorities, industry leaders, and civil society are heard. The government’s willingness to listen to some of our proposals – such as prioritising national infrastructure – is encouraging. But further dialogue and sustained effort are required to turn vision into reality.
Our mission is to ensure that the planning system delivers not just more homes but better places to live. Homes that are connected, climate-resilient, and fit for the demands of a future economy. By focusing on capacity, foresight, and sustainability, we can help to shape a planning system that delivers for current and future generations.
To find out more about the work of Curia and the forthcoming planning programme, please contact Chief Executive, Ben Howlett at ben.howlett@curiauk.com or Chair of the Industrial Strategy Research Group, Paula Sherriff at Paula.sherriff@curiauk.com.
