Dangerous changes proposed to national planning policies

CPRE Sussex column written for West Sussex Gazette, July 2026.

CPRE Sussex has launched a campaign calling for urgent changes to the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).  

We are raising the alarm over this hugely damaging document and urging MPs to make revisions this summer.  

The government claims the NPPF will drive economic growth and modernise the planning system.  

But it will cause irrevocable damage and destruction to our green spaces.  

We are urging all Sussex MPs to consider the cost to local democracy, already overstretched infrastructure and the natural environment of these changes.  

The letter outlines some of our most serious concerns about the NPPF. 

Many of us have experienced the terrible water issues that we have in Sussex – from polluted waters, to overflowing sewage systems.   

Shockingly, the NPPF makes no attempt to remedy this failure.   

It simply calls for development which will load yet more new builds onto sewage and water systems.  

This year we have already experienced several heatwaves, and extreme weather is affecting food supplies, landscapes and habitats.  

Yet this draft of the NPPF has no serious consideration of climate change mitigation at all.  

It also does not even come close to adequate provision of affordable housing.  

Instead, it appears to value developer profits over meeting the needs of local people.  

Another major concern is that the proposed NPPF suggests introducing automatic development zones around stations – including those in rural areas.  

But policies allowing more development simply because land is near a station would lead to suburban sprawl, ribbon development and higher car dependency.  

Incredibly, the latest NPPF also undermines the countryside itself.  

It removes references to valued landscapes outside nationally designated areas and the intrinsic value the countryside provides.  

This is a deeply flawed decision when you consider the value of the countryside to both our economy and our health. 

More than half of land in Sussex (58%) is working farmland.  

A further 24% is made up of woodland, open space and water.   

These stunning landscapes help to attract visitors to our county.  

In 2024, there were more than 50 million visitor trips to Sussex. 

These trips generated more than £4 billion for the local economy in East and West Sussex without accounting for Brighton & Hove.   

At the same time, access to the countryside helps us stay fitter, healthier and improves our wellbeing.  

Regular access to green spaces reduces GP visits by 28% and could save the NHS 2.1 billion annually.   

Perhaps our biggest fear about the NPPF is that it will eradicate public scrutiny in planning decisions.   

In speeding up the housebuilding process, the government would see local democracy stripped away.    

We are calling for MPs to demand revisions to this document this summer.  

To help get the message out, we have drafted a letter which you can send to your local MP. 

We encourage everyone to read the letter and add your voice and specific local concerns.  

Read and edit the letter here: actionnetwork.org/letters/the-new-nppf-a-dangerous-document.