b'4 Local Government Lawyerlack of public funding and private investmentcommented that the policy does nothing toThe updated approach uses a formula that for the countrys sluggish construction rate,How do you think the changes will affect:require or incentivise private business to freeincorporates a baseline of local housing stock according to the survey, which took responsesup land it is holding until it becomes cheaperwhich is then adjusted upwards to reflect from 37 local government lawyers on theto develop on. local affordability pressures to identify the different aspects of the NPPF amendments. 0% minimum number of homes expected to be The commenter added: The policy also Significant negative difference 11%The data also suggests that the NPPFdoes notmake development cheaper, andplanned for. 7%changes themselves will put further pressuredoes not make land more able to meetThis differs from its predecessor, which on council legal and planning departments,planning requirements in place towards therelied on population forecasts.compounding resourcing problems.neMt zoerdeo rraequirte neemengativet. difference 4% 11% Planning consultancy Lichfields described 4%Responses on the introduction of a newthe change as a shift towards a more Welcome changes?standard method for calculating housingstable and transparent way of identifying 59%Now, half a year on from the changes comingneed are also split doLittle wn the middle, with difference housing needan assessment, which some 25%into force, how are lawyers feeling about their50% agreeing with the policy change and 50%respondents agree with. 63%impacts?disagreeing.Although it will lead to some discrepancies Moderate positive difference 26% 32%Amendments to Green Belt policy areThe new method, introduced in 2024,and difficulties in some areas, it nonetheless where professionals see the greatest potentialpushes targets up considerably, from 305,000has a degree of certainty which is 19%for change, but even then, only 51% of surveynew homes per year to 370,000 homes percommendable, as one commenter said.respondents anticipate a positive difference. year. 11% However, others raised concerns about Just over half (51%) also believe that theSignificant positive difference 21%introduction of Grey Belt land would lead to aHow do you think the changes will affect: 7%positive difference.Commenting on the researchsBrownfield Land Development in the Green Belt The delivery of affordable housingfindings, John Gregory, planning partner atHow do you think the changes will affect:Weightmans, says he thinks the Governments implementation of the Grey Belt policy has0%gone exactly as the Government intended. Significant negative difference 11%There have been some big appeal7%decisions in relation to data centresthere have been some big housing appeal decisionsModerate negative difference 4% 11%where its plain that permission has been4%granted, where it otherwise wouldnt have been granted.59%I dont think there can be any questionLittle difference 25%that the policy is doing what it was supposed63%to do. 26%Developers have also described the GreenModerate positive difference 32%Belt changes as positive.19%Andrew Taylor, Group Planning Director at one of the nations largest developers,Significant positive difference 11% 21%Vistry Group, says that the affordable housing7%developer has handled applications that have been approved or allowed to appeal under the golden rules in relation to Green Belt. What impact do you think the restoration of Brownfield Land Development in the Green Belt The delivery of affordable housingVistry labels itself as the leading provider"mandatory" housing targets will have on What impact do you think the restoration of mandatory housing targets will have on housing supply in of affordable mixed tenure homes and is onyour area? housing supply in your area?track this year to complete 17,500 homes, around half of which are affordable. It has made a change, a positive changeWill lead to a significant negative difference 11%from our perspective in terms of the supply of new homes, Taylor says.Other changes that some see as a positiveWill lead to a moderate negative difference 0%step include the re-introduction of mandatory housing targets.Will not make much difference 37%Just over half of respondents (52%) say mandatory targets will lead to positive change.Ultimately, feelings are mixed, with 37%Will lead to a moderate positive difference 41%believing the policy will not make much difference, and 11% warning that the reformWill lead to a significant positive difference 11%will lead to a significant negative difference.One respondent critical of the changes'