Place Alliance welcomes the revised NPPF

The Place Alliance, which campaigns for place quality, today welcomed the new strong endorsement in the revised NPPF for the importance of design. The new policy leaves no doubt that design should be taken seriously by local authorities and developers alike, and should be prioritised everywhere.  

The Place Alliance made a joint submission to Government alongside the Academy of Urbanism, Civic Voice, Institute of Historic Building Conservation and the Urban Design Group, arguing that the consultation draft released earlier in the year was too timid and that Government needed to show greater determination and leadership on this issue. The revised paragraphs on design (124-132) have considerably bolstered the advice, and now argue that “The creation of high quality buildings and places is fundamental to what the planning and development processes should achieve”. It emphasises that local authorities need to be proactive in this respect and clear about their expectations, and how these will be tested. The quality of development is now also explicitly recognised as a key strategic objective of planning.  

Chair of Place Alliance. Prof Matthew Carmona commented “We welcome the new stronger emphasis on design in the revised NPPF. Local authorities and developers can now be in no doubt that delivering better place-making is a national priority and will play a key role in making new development more acceptable to communities”.

For further information please contact placealliance@ucl.ac.uk