MONTAGU EVANS ELECTS NEW MANAGING PARTNER

Montagu Evans has announced Alan Harris as its new Managing Partner, following Rob Bower’s decision to retire from the Partnership on 31 March 2025 after ten years in the role.

Currently head of Montagu Evans’ Advisory Department, he will become the firm’s tenth Managing Partner since its founding in 1921. The appointment runs for an initial four-year term from 1 April 2025.

With a background in development consultancy and a focus on complex, mixed-use projects often in town centres, Alan works with local authorities, public bodies, developers and institutional investors, progressing regeneration programmes with a slant towards capital strategies. He has headed the Partnership’s town centre and public sector groups and helped develop the firm’s growth strategy including relocation to the City of London in 2019. He joined its Executive Committee in 2014 and was appointed Head of Advisory in 2022.

Rob Bower said: “Alan is a longstanding Partner at the firm and a proven leader of the business. He has already been a major part of our success and growth to date and is well-known across the industry. I’m delighted he is the Partnership’s next Managing Partner, and I look forward to watching the firm go from strength to strength over the next four years and beyond.

“Alan and I will now be working side-by-side until March 2025 – focussed on clients, Partners and staff to understand their priorities and focus on further growth and opportunity in the five years ahead. Meanwhile, it’s very much business as usual for our planning, advisory and transactional teams. Activity remains strong, and major instructions continue to come in as we strengthen our planning and development focus in both the public and private sectors.”

Alan Harris, incoming Managing Partner at Montagu Evans, said: “This is a fantastic business with exceptional people. From the day I set foot here 23 years ago, I have been proud to be part of its journey and growth.

“Rob has been an outstanding Managing Partner for the last decade and I’ve enjoyed working closely with him to help grow the Partnership.

“Being elected by my peers as the tenth Managing Partner is a great honour. I am truly proud to be given this opportunity to work with all our Partners to build on what we already have within the business and to capitalise on the ambition that I see every day across all generations of the Partnership.”

Longstanding clients of Montagu Evans include abrdn, Aviva Investors, Barratts, CBRE IM, Crown Estate, London Square, Regal London and SEGRO, as well as Homes England, the NHS, Network Rail, DIO, TfL and a number of London and UK-wide local authorities. The Partnership is currently advising on regeneration schemes including Camden Film Quarter; Bow Goods Yard, Orchard Wharf and Royal Albert Dock in East London; Festival Gardens in Liverpool, and other major sites nationwide – from estate regeneration to major new settlements. It has recently helped to secure planning approval for landmark sites, including the former WWII Kingsway Tunnels, significant new homes at Westfield London and major commercial space close to Stansted Airport, as well as providing historic environment and townscape consultancy for projects, including the Grade II listed gasholders repurposing in Bromley-by-Bow and Smithfield market in Birmingham.

CENTRAL LONDON PLANNING POLICY UPDATE Q2 2024

Here is our quarterly update on planning policy news, recent/emerging consultations or changes within the Central London boroughs, and updates from the Mayor of London.

Headlines from Q2 2024:

• The Labour party was triumphant at the General Election on 4 July 2024. We expect to see a lot of updates relating to the planning system as the Government implements its new policies over the coming months.
• The London Mayoral Election was held on 2 May 2024, alongside the elections for the London Assembly. Sadiq Khan (Labour) was re-elected with 43.8% of the vote becoming the first Mayor of London to win a third term in office.
• At the national level, the Government updated a series of planning guidance including, Planning Appeals on 25 April 2024, Biodiversity Net Gain on 1 May 2024, Building Safety on 25 April 2024, Community Infrastructure Levy on 26 April 2024, Enforcement and Post-Permission Matters on 25 April 2024.
• Lambeth has adopted a new Local Development Scheme on 16 May 2024. The review of Lambeth’s Local Plan is to commence in Q3/Q4 2024/25.
• Wandsworth is to commence the preparation of the Masterplan for Clapham Junction Station in Summer 2024.
• Recent consultations have closed on the City of London’s Draft City Plan, City of London’s Draft Planning for Sustainability SPD, and Westminster City Council’s Partial Review of the City Plan.

A full update is attached below. Should you have any queries, do not hesitate to contact the Central London planning team.

MONTAGU EVANS APPOINTS NEW HISTORIC ENVIRONMENTS HEAD

Planning and development consultancy Montagu Evans has appointed Partner Dr Timur Tatlioglu to head its Historic Environment and Townscape team.

Sitting within the partnership’s Planning Department, the market-leading team comprises experts in heritage, urban design, and townscape matters who advise on complex development that often affects sensitive contexts in the built environment.

Acting for private developers as well as public bodies and charities in the education, arts and museum sectors, the team has a large portfolio of work across the UK with a focus on Greater London. It provides authoritative commercial advice informed by robust assessment, analysis of planning policy, and a dedicated research function.

Key projects range from extending the British Museum and bringing the Grade II* listed Victoria Palace Theatre back to life for the Hamilton production, as well as advising on major schemes, including the redevelopment of the Marks & Spencer flagship Oxford Street store; the National Holocaust Memorial adjacent to the Palace of Westminster; the 55 Bishopsgate tall building in the City of London and a landscape-led masterplan for Highgate Cemetery. The team recently advised Westfield on a major new residential scheme in West London; Lendlease on the £1.9bn regeneration of Birmingham’s Smithfield market; and St William on the transformation of the Bromley-by-Bow listed gasholder site in East London.

The team’s seven Partners form part of a 25-strong group overall, and includes Dr Chris Miele who founded the service line in the late 2000s. It has recently expanded with the appointment of Paul Kesslar-Lyne, who has rejoined the firm as an Associate.

Craig Blatchford, Partner and Head of Planning at Montagu Evans, said: “This team has unmatched experience and expertise in the heritage and townscape arena, specialising in high profile and complex projects that require experience to deliver. It understands how those places work, how they can be adapted, and how to achieve a deliverable and sustainable future.

“We are pleased to announce Timur as the new head of the team. With considerable experience and a track record of leading high-profile projects, he has the vision to drive the growth of this truly stand-out group of professionals.

“We also thank Chris Miele for his continued, outstanding contribution to the partnership. He is a true expert in his field, and I am pleased that he will continue in his current role providing exceptional advice for major clients of the business.”

Dr Timur Tatlioglu, Partner at Montagu Evans, added: “Our team has become synonymous with helping clients navigate challenging sites in often highly sensitive locations. This has been made possible by our expertise, the blend of long experience and academic rigour, and the commercial acumen that comes from being part of a wider property consultancy. It will be a privilege to lead such a successful team, having been part of the group for over a decade.”

For more information, please visit our dedicated Historic Environment and Townscape website area here.

MANAGING PARTNER UPDATE: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN THE YEAR AHEAD

Last year I set out to the firm that I would be standing down as Managing Partner at the end of March 2025, a decade after I first had the privilege of taking on this role.

I’m proud to have served nearly 30 years at Montagu Evans in all, a place I fondly recognise as my second home. However, this is the right time to hand over to the next generation of leadership at our fantastic partnership.

The process for electing my successor has begun, with the nominations process well underway. We expect to announce our new Managing Partner this summer, with the role formally starting on 1 April 2025 after a structured transition period.

Over the last year we have been working with external consultants, PSFI, to help shape the future of our business, taking into account all our partners’ views and the feedback we get every year from our clients.

We are one of the strongest LLPs in the UK real estate market and our focus on solving clients’ planning and development challenges has been a key part of that success.

Clients increasingly want the trusted advisor relationship that they get by working closely with partners who are passionate about what they do and which comes, in part, from having a stake in their own business. It’s a model that supports the very best talent who can shape their career as far as their ambitions will take them.

Being the Managing Partner in this type of true partnership is very different to the role of CEO or Managing Director at a corporate. As the first among equals, it’s about ensuring collaboration, consensus and bringing together a range of people and skills into a team where, together, we are stronger than the sum of our parts. And it’s this which sets Montagu Evans apart: collaboration and partnership is in our DNA.

As I look back, there’s a lot we can be proud of. In addition to our connected and collaborative approach, we’ve expanded significantly in 10 years, adding many talented people – from graduates through to partners. We have increased our emphasis on living, industrial/logistics and healthcare, particularly across London and Scotland, and we are delivering significant, transformative schemes across the country, thriving on complex and challenging opportunities where we can combine strategic approaches with specialist thinking – from major urban renewal and tall buildings to docks and airport-led regeneration to portfolio growth and asset repositioning. We’ve grown across both the public and private sectors and we are now one of the UK’s pre-eminent advisors for clients with planning and development challenges.

As with any leadership role, there have been some tough decisions to make too, with Brexit, Covid and the market downturn from mid-2022. We have had to get through challenging markets and unprecedented global upheaval, especially in the last few years and I suspect their impacts are not yet fully over. Changes to our business have never been made lightly and we continue to take sensible decisions that are in the best interest of our partnership as a whole and, notwithstanding short-term challenges, will set our leaders on a stronger course for the years ahead.

I’m sure that Montagu Evans will continue to evolve and succeed as we respond to new ways of working, new clients, new opportunities and many other ways to secure our legacy for another 100 years – and more.

And for me, these changes will mean the chance to recharge after an intense few years, and then to pursue a portfolio career within the real estate sector. There is still more to do.

Right now, though, we are focused on ensuring as little disruption as possible to our teams and clients as they continue to do what they do best and we set up the partnership for its next phase of growth. Change brings opportunity, and I’m looking forward to keeping in touch and seeing what our next generation has to offer as they build on our legacy further in the many years ahead.

MONTAGU EVANS BOOSTS STRATEGIC ADVISORY CAPABILITY WITH NEW PARTNER HIRE

Planning and development consultancy Montagu Evans continues to grow its Strategic Advisory team with the appointment of Adam Caplan as Partner.

Caplan will deliver complex strategic projects across public and private sectors, working closely with Montagu Evans’ clients who need specialist advice. He will provide surveying and consultancy skills to provide joined-up solutions from the early stages of any planning and development project to bring about positive change. He joins the partnership from CBRE, where he was a Director in its Strategic Transformation team delivering advisory and transaction-based projects for clients, landlords and investors.

Montagu Evans’ 15-strong Strategic Advisory team works with a breadth of public and private sector clients to solve complex problems and unlock challenges that help to improve the performance of clients’ real estate and the business operations that support it. It works with a diverse range of clients, including the GLA across the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone, Network Rail, London Borough of Lambeth, LaSalle Investment Management, CEG and The Crown Estate in order to create the vision, enable development and evolve places to ensure that place-making initiatives are financially viable, well-designed, market-oriented, community-driven and effectively managed.​

Isabel Miller has recently joined the same team as a Research Analyst reporting to Montagu Evans’ Head of Strategic Insight, Jon Neale. Morgan Reece, also in Strategic Advisory, who specialises in socio and economic development, was promoted to Partner on 1 April this year.

Jenny Rydon, Partner at Montagu Evans and head of its Strategic Advisory team, said: “As the sector evolves and markets continue to shift, we have seen organisational priorities begin to better align their real estate with their corporate objectives against a backdrop of social, environmental and economic aspects where the measurable impact is greater than the commercial drivers. This means that early-stage strategic advice and an in-depth understanding of client operations is critical to tackling complex issues with creativity and collaboration.

“Adam will be particularly good at developing a broad understanding of client challenges and bringing together the right specialist teams from within our partnership to creatively identify and implement the right solutions. He will be able to draw on his experience across both the public and private sectors – from business owners and major landlords to public sector bodies and occupiers – to share learnings and innovations in order to add meaningful value across the board.�?

Adam is a Fellow of the RICS.

BAME IN PROPERTY REBRANDS TO PREACH INCLUSION®

BAME in Property, which works to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in real estate, has announced a new name, brand and expanded purpose. The new name, ‘PREACH Inclusion®’ (PREACH standing for Promoting Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage), acknowledges the evolution of the organisation’s services and scope. PREACH Inclusion® will not only promote racial, ethnic and cultural diversity across the Built Environment sector, it will also support the sector towards greater intersectional inclusion.

Over the last 18 months, what was ‘BAME In Property’ has expanded to include race workshops, creative content around faith and religion, as well as insights into identity and cultural heritage. PREACH Inclusion® will grow this, exploring workshops on identity and cultural intelligence (also known as CQ). It will also continue its existing services, including: corporate and individual memberships, events, a job promotion board, consultancy, community engagement strategies, and support on industry educational campaigns.

The new name and brand acknowledge that the term BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) can be insufficient when it comes to describing individual ethnic groups, as well as the huge diversity of people with whom PREACH Inclusion® works and represents. Born out of dialogue and debate with many in the industry, the new name reflects the views of those who do not identify as ‘BAME’ and are keen to see the industry move away from this controversial term.

Founder and Director Priya Aggarwal-Shah launched BAME in Property in 2018 to challenge the status quo and to address taboos within the sector around unconscious and conscious bias, microaggressions, racism, as well as staff retention and senior representation in the leadership of ethnic minorities. The organisation, which began as a part-time passion project, has since hosted networking events with industry leaders for thousands of property professionals, built a respected social media platform and has been a role model for the industry in demonstrating best practice campaigns for the likes of Race Equality Week, #MyNameIs, and South Asian Heritage Month – to name a few. Priya left her role at a leading communications consultancy to go full-time with BAME in Property in the summer of 2022. Current clients include Montagu Evans, Trident Building Consultancy, National Grid, Turley, London Property Alliance and many others.

Priya Aggarwal-Shah, Founder and Director, PREACH Inclusion®: 

“BAME in Property is something I have been so proud of, but in recent years, we’ve seen first-hand a greater interest in anti-racism and people using ethnicity and cultural heritage as a mode of identification. Our new name, PREACH Inclusion®, reflects our desire to do more, to have a greater impact and to recognise that personal identity can come not just from race, but through the intersection of race, ethnicity and cultural heritage.

“We know that talking about race, ethnicity and identity can, for many, be daunting. Our mission is to act as the industry’s critical friend and guide – and to be disruptive when needed. Why? Because ultimately inclusive corporate workplaces deliver diversity of thoughts – which in turn breeds greater innovation, creativity, and more successful places. Through tailored services, creative analogies, and strategic advice, we’re helping companies PREACH Inclusion® as a key part of their overall company strategy – not just an afterthought.�?

Victoria Thompson, HR Director, Montagu Evans:

The new brand was unveiled at an event last night (Thursday 25 April), sponsored by Montagu Evans. HR Director Victoria Thompson said: “A diverse and inclusive workforce brings with it diversity of thought, skills and experience which enable us all to be progressive, innovative and make a difference. Priya has already made an enormous, positive impact on the sector but there is still lots more to do. This new name and focus on greater intersectional inclusion is an important – and welcome – next step.�?

Bhavini Shah, Partner at Montagu Evans and the Partner Sponsor of our racial and ethnic inclusion employee network, Open Circle, 

“Last night was a fantastic example of the diverse talent and brilliant allies we have in our industry. We look forward to continuing our important relationship with PREACH Inclusion and are really excited to bring the intersectional lens that Priya referenced in her speech last night into our own DE&I strategy.�?

To find out more or to become a member, visit https://www.preachinclusion.com/.

SALE OF CRAIGIEHALL BARRACKS – A ‘VERY SPECIAL’ DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY ON EDINBURGH’S WESTERN FRINGE

The former headquarters of the British Army in Scotland has been sold to Miller Developments and the William Pears Group, both advised by Savills. The William Pears Group is acquiring the 78 former MOD houses for refurbishment, whilst Miller Developments is acquiring the balance of the 96 acre site for future redevelopment.

The site is located on the north-west fringe of Edinburgh, adjacent to the established prime residential areas of Cammo, Cramond and Dalmeny. It was marketed by Montagu Evans on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and attracted several bids at a closing date.  It includes a number of listed buildings, including the Category A listed Craigiehall House (along with its Walled Garden and Stable Block) and the Category B listed former Anti-Aircraft Operations Room.

Savills said: “We are delighted our joint bid from Miller Developments and William Pears Group has led to a successful acquisition. The combination of this attractive and historical property, and its exceptional setting on the banks of the River Almond, makes it a very special opportunity indeed.

“Nearby existing residential enclaves are in high demand from those who wish to be in easy reach of the city centre, yet close to the airport and to Scotland’s rail and motorway network, including the new Queensferry Crossing across the Firth of Forth.�?

The William Pears Group are a financing and real estate group, who operate a strategic approach and are committed to  long-term investment  which adds value. The Group was successful in its bid for the 78 existing homes at Craigiehall.

Miller Developments is one of the UK’s leading land and property development companies. With a strong track record going back for more than 50 years, Miller Developments has extensive experience across every sector of the market and a strong presence in Edinburgh.  David Milloy, Managing Director of Miller Developments said:  “Opportunities of this quality do not come along very often.  We are therefore very pleased to have been successful in buying the barrack site with a view to securing consent for future development within this high quality site.�?
Planning and development consultancy Montagu Evans advised the DIO on this disposal in its role as Strategic Property Adviser to the defence organisation. It is also appointed to the DIO’s Estate Management Professional Services (EMPS) contract, delivering major defence estate requirements in a solus appointment under the Crown Commercial Services Framework Agreement.

Adrian Owen, Partner at Montagu Evans, said: “This disposal forms part of a wider strategy for releasing surplus defence estate assets to maximise value for the public purse and ensure a strong focus on social value. The site is very well-located for new development, and we are pleased to have secured agreement for its future economic use following a strong bidding process.”

CELEBRATING NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK AT MONTAGU EVANS

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is a time to shine a spotlight on the invaluable role apprenticeships play in shaping the future workforce. With this year’s theme being ‘Skills for Life,’ the focus is on the significance of apprenticeships in gaining skills that extend far beyond the workplace. It is a celebration of the commitment to lifelong learning, personal growth, and professional development, providing them with the tools they need for a successful and fulfilling career journey.

At Montagu Evans, we offer a five-year apprenticeship in Partnership with the University of Westminster. Apprentices rotate between departments, gaining a complete experience, where time is split between studies, one day per week, which will be delivered online until classroom learning resumes and our offices (and virtually), four days per week. For the final two years, our apprentices automatically join our graduate rotation programme, where they work towards completing their APC to become RICS qualified.

To celebrate NAW, we asked some of our apprentices about their experiences so far, why they would recommend taking an apprenticeship and how they feel apprentices are enhancing the organisations they work for. We also chatted with Lucy, an apprentice mentor, and Jess, our early careers coordinator.

JUSTIN PARKER – APPRENTICE SURVEYOR

“I would recommend a Degree Apprenticeship to anyone who wishes to benefit from entering a real business environment and gaining a recognised qualification. You develop skills for life and hands-on experience directly relevant to your chosen career path which going to university alone cannot provide.

Since joining Montagu Evans in September 2022, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as an apprentice. I feel valued and supported by everyone, and I am pleased to have been entrusted with responsibility at a higher level than I first imagined. I feel that apprentices bring a diversity of thought and positivity into an organisation.�?

AARON SINGH – APPRENTICE SURVEYOR

“There are multiple reasons why a degree apprenticeship appealed to me, but the main one was the ability to merge my academic learning from university with the projects/tasks I work on in the workplace. This helps bolster my knowledge, skills, and experience of my desired career.

Since joining Montagu Evans in September 2022, I have been supported in the transition from sixth form to a professional working lifestyle by all the team and was eased into the process. The culture of Montagu Evans allows you to have a great work-life balance and overall enjoy the work you do.

Apprentices are helping to diversify teams and bring new perspectives to projects from a younger mindset. Our hands-on experience contributes to the firm’s success and growth, which provides great self-achievement.�?

ELLANA WOODLEY – APPRENTICE SURVEYOR

“The main benefit of employing apprentices is introducing fresh talent and ideas to the business, where you can align training to the company’s specific business needs as well as upskilling existing employees. It can also boost staff loyalty and motivation due to the relationships formed and the business familiarity.

More specifically for ME, the scheme offers apprentices to gain experience in up to 7 different departments of the business. By the end of the 5 years, apprentices will have a great understanding of the business as a whole, which is beneficial in the long run in regard to referrals and collaboration. Additionally, it allows the apprentice to identify their strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes in the business. As a result, their department selection at the end of the apprenticeship process is likely to be a more secure decision, thus further increasing staff loyalty and motivation.?

LUCY MUIR – SENIOR SURVEYOR AND MENTOR

“The Apprenticeship Scheme that we offer at Montagu Evans is a fantastic programme which opens up opportunities for individuals from non-traditional academic backgrounds to start their careers within the real estate industry. Apprentices bring innovation and diversification to the firm, infusing fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, and a drive for learning in the workplace. Their presence not only fuels growth but also encourages a culture of resilience, adaptability, and collaboration, which helps us to be a thriving and dynamic organisation.?

JESS FREEMAN – EARLY CAREERS COORDINATOR

“I love seeing our Apprentices go from strength to strength and having such a successful start to their career. Our Apprentices are highly valued members of our organisation, contributing to the success of the teams they work with. Not only this, but they contribute to the wider business outside of the day job, most notably by taking an active role in our FutureGen Network.?

[Our Apprentices photographed: Louie Earle-Davis, Aaron Singh, Jack Winterton, Ellie Smith, Anna Mido, Justin Parker. Not pictured, Ellana Woodley and Jamil Saiyed].

As National Apprenticeship Week unfolds, let’s reflect on the theme ‘Skills for Life’ and the profound impact apprenticeships have on individuals and organisations. The skills acquired during apprenticeships are not just for the workplace; they are tools that individuals carry with them throughout their lives, contributing to personal growth, adaptability, and continuous learning. To learn more about these celebrations, you can visit the official NAW website here, and for further information on our early career careers, visit here.

2022/23 FINANCIAL RESULTS: MONTAGU EVANS FOCUSES ON FUTURE GROWTH

In the annual report and accounts registered this week at Companies House, the Montagu Evans partnership has reported annual revenue of £54.8 million and a statutory profit of £ 14.1 million for the financial year to March 2023.

On the back of challenging and industry-wide market conditions, the partnership has taken a long-term view and continued to invest in its business, including an increased headcount, extended ESG capability, new business information system and further improved IT infrastructure.

Revenue of £54.8 million was a 15% decrease against the previous year’s record financial performance. The firm’s Planning team recorded 5% year-on-year growth, however, with further investment in people and focus on Central London, Housing and Historic Environments and Townscape, including major schemes in Earl’s Court, Stansted and across the capital.

Statutory profit decreased in parallel by £8.9 million year-on-year to £14.1 million. Distributable profit for partners reduced accordingly by 36%, while the non-partner bonus pool covering all other staff reduced by less, 27%, to £4 million. The average distributable profit per partner was £337,000.

Rob Bower, Managing Partner of Montagu Evans, said: “Even with global volatility affecting every part of the sector, we have kept a clear focus on planning and development and a strong programme of recruitment, promotion and succession that will position us well for better times ahead.

“Coming off the back of a record-breaking year in 2021/2022, these numbers are clearly a disappointment, but we have decided to protect our people and avoid redundancies, focussing on maintaining high levels of client service with properly resourced teams. This latest down cycle will pass, and when it does, we will be very well positioned to immediately support our clients. It’s times like this when true partnership businesses show their strengths.�?

THE NEW NPPF – KEY POINTS FOR HOUSING DELIVERY

Amongst a plethora of announcements yesterday, we finally saw publication of the government’s latest update to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).  This was eagerly-anticipated (and much speculated about) by many in the development sector.  Following previous consultation drafts it is important to note what points were taken forward and equally those that were dropped.

As expected, it includes additional wording concerning the principle of Green Belt release – now making explicit that there is ‘no requirement’ for LPAs to review or change Green Belt boundaries when preparing Local Plans. However, an LPA may choose to review and/or alter its Green Belt in ‘exceptional circumstances’. In reality little has changed.

Other key updates worth noting in particular are:

1. As expected, new wording was introduced around the weight afforded to the ‘standard method’ when calculating a Local Planning Authority’s (LPA) housing need. The outcome of the standard method is now ‘an advisory starting point’ in establishing housing requirements. Whilst seemingly an important update this does not materially change matters as the standard methodology was never mandatory and LPAs have always been able to depart from it in exceptional circumstances.  No doubt, however, some Councils will look to use this to their advantage in reducing housing delivery.

2. On the face of it, LPAs are arguably now further incentivised to keep their Local Plans up to date. The NPPF makes clear that planning authorities will not be required to annually identify/update a 5-year supply of housing land in certain circumstances, including where an adopted Local Plan is less than 5 years old (providing that a 5-year housing land supply was identified at adoption stage).  Whilst the output of said Plans may not be what the development industry is looking for, it should at least improve the notable absence of up-to-date Local Plans across the UK in many local authorities.

3. The updated NPPF makes clear that LPAs should consider the needs of older people including ‘those who require retirement housing, housing-with-care and care homes’. Whilst not a drastic change, this does provide clarity to LPAs concerning the important role that a variety of senior living tenures can play in addressing housing need – and should help bolster the negotiating position concerning such schemes.

4. The Housing Delivery Test (“HDT�?) remains the means of measuring the delivery of new homes (and various penalties will apply to LPAs who fail to deliver their housing need). However, the HDT 20% buffer requirements will now no longer apply to LPAs with an adopted Local Plan which is less than 5 years old  (providing that there was a 5-year housing supply identified at the time of adoption).  This will likely result in various LPAs re-calculating their housing needs (with a view to reducing their overall housing figures) which could frustrate the delivery of new homes within the short-to-medium term.

5. New wording has been added to restrict ‘significant uplifts’ in residential densities where these would be ‘wholly out of character’ with the surrounding area. In reality, this point will be subjective (and it may be difficult to reach a consensus in interpreting this matter with LPA planning officers and local communities). This further underscores the need for robust local character analysis to be undertaken at early design stages to justify the density of housing proposals.

6. An increased emphasis is now placed on the role of community organisations (such as land trusts and housing cooperatives) in ‘instigating development’. The term ‘community led development’ is now specifically defined within the NPPF and such projects may be notably exempt from other policy requirements including affordable housing. This demonstrates the increasingly important role which local community groups (when properly organised) can play in the development sector.

In addition, the updated NPPF sets out that its policies will only be applicable (for plan-making purposes) to development plan documents which reach Regulation 19 stage after the 19^th March 2024. Therefore, it’s strongly inferred that any emerging local plans already at Regulation 19 Stage stage (or indeed which have already been submitted for their Examination in Public) will be assessed under the previous Framework.

Finally, it’s worth noting that despite the considerable rhetoric surrounding the updated NPPF, the following matters are not part of the new documentation, despite being covered in the Secretary of State’s speech;

• The expectation that officer recommendations will play a stronger role in planning committee decision-making
• Any enhanced Biodiversity Net Gain requirements; and
• The role of statutory consultees in making the planning application process more efficient.

These matters will likely be addressed via other planning mechanisms in due course (including potential updates to planning-relevant legislation). This is underscored by Michael Gove’s Ministerial Statement (also published yesterday alongside other publications including Gove’s letter to the Mayor Sadiq Khan challenging the levels of housing delivery within London). As such, there may be further updates and planning reforms to come, alongside the new development management policies and consultation details already awaited following the adoption of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act earlier this year.

Overall, it is clear that some positive steps have been taken to hold LPAs more accountable for housing delivery.  However, the extent to which other NPPF changes  – particularly in relation to the standard methodology, 5-year housing land supply and the Housing Delivery Test – will ensure the maintained 300,000 home delivery target remains highly questionable given the greater powers local authorities have to define their own housing needs.