Planning practice guidance
The National Planning Policy Framework and relevant planning practice guidance.
In response to the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), MHCLG has published planning guidance. We will be adding to this as guidance is updated, so please check the page regularly. Best practice advice and links are also available from the Planning Advisory Service website
The National Planning Policy Framework was published on 27 March 2012 and revised on 24 July 2018. It sets out the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied.
Download the full policy document.
Where plans are being prepared under the transitional arrangements set out in Annex 1 to the revised National Planning Policy Framework, the policies in the previous version of the framework published in 2012 will continue to apply, as will any previous guidance which has been superseded since the new framework was published in July 2018. If you’d like an email alert when changes are made to planning guidance please subscribe.
Planning practice guidance categories
We have revised and updated planning practice guidance to make it accessible.
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- Air quality
- Appeals
- Appropriate assessment
- Before submitting an application
- Brownfield land registers
- Build to rent
- Climate change
- Community Infrastructure Levy
- Consultation and pre-decision matters
- Crown development
- Design: process and tools
- Determining a planning application
- Effective use of land
- Enforcement and post-permission matters
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Fees for planning applications
- First Homes
- Flexible options for planning permissions
- Flood risk and coastal change
- Green Belt
- Hazardous substances
- Healthy and safe communities
- Historic environment
- Housing and economic land availability assessment
- Housing and economic needs assessment
- Housing needs of different groups
- Housing for older and disabled people
- Housing: optional technical standards
- Housing supply and delivery
- Land affected by contamination
- Land stability
- Lawful development certificates
- Light pollution
- Making an application
- Minerals
- Natural environment
- Neighbourhood planning
- Noise
- Open space, sports and recreation facilities, public rights of way and local green space
- Permission in principle
- Plan-making
- Planning obligations
- Renewable and low carbon energy
- Rural housing
- Self-build and custom housebuilding
- Strategic environmental assessment and sustainability appraisal
- Town centres and retail
- Transport evidence bases in plan making and decision taking
- Travel Plans, Transport Assessments and Statements
- Tree Preservation Orders and trees in conservation areas
- Use of planning conditions
- Viability
- Waste
- Water supply, wastewater and water quality
- When is permission required?
Other planning policies
Last updated 24 May 2021 + show all updates
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Added: First Homes
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Updated guidance on 'Design: process and tools'.
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added - Appropriate assessment, Effective use of land, Green Belt, Housing needs of different groups and Housing Supply and delivery
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Added Housing for older and disabled people
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Updated guidance on 'Neighbourhood planning' and 'Viability'.
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Added a link to a user feedback survey
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Added new guidance on 'Build to rent' and 'Plan-making'. Updated guidance on 'Housing need assessment', 'Housing and economic land availability assessment', 'Local Plans' and 'Neighbourhood Planning'.
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Added 'Housing Delivery Test measurement rule book'.
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Added guidance on 'Brownfield land registers' and 'Permission in principle'.
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First published.