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ARTICLE · 11 SEPTEMBER 2026

NPPF 2026: Beyond Housing To Support Growth & Infrastructure

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The 2026 NPPF reshapes planning policy, strengthening support for infrastructure, energy, data centres and economic growth while maintaining housing delivery as a core priority.

United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
Jennifer Eng
Jennifer Eng

The 2026 NPPF reshapes planning policy, strengthening support for infrastructure, energy, data centres and economic growth while maintaining housing delivery as a core priority.

The government's revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in August 2026, represents one of the most significant restructurings of national planning policy in recent years.

While housing delivery remains central, there are significant moves to facilitate infrastructure, energy, data centres, AI-related development and wider economic growth to matters of national planning importance to stimulate growth.

The key direction of travel is towards greater certainty, stronger plan-led decision-making and clearer national support for development which contributes to strategic growth. The changes therefore matter not only for housing schemes, but also for infrastructure promoters, landowners, local planning authorities and developers seeking to understand how planning policy will respond to the

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