Here at Hawksbeck, we recently submitted a targeted response to the Government’s consultation on revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). As specialists in premium garden rooms and residential annexes, our focus was on how the proposed changes could affect small-scale residential development and the customers we support through the planning process.
Overall, we welcome the Government’s intention to reduce unnecessary complexity and delay in planning. In particular, we support the emphasis on requiring only the minimum necessary information to validate and determine applications. Too often, disproportionate local validation requirements slow down modest proposals such as annexes and outbuildings, adding cost and uncertainty without improving decision-making.
We also strongly support clearer national guidance on planning conditions, including the wider use of model conditions and tighter controls on the routine removal of permitted development rights. Greater consistency here would benefit homeowners and smaller developers alike.
However, we note a lack of explicit support for annexes and multi-generational living within key policies, particularly where there is a clear benefits to be gained through the use of annexes and outbuildings to support multi-generational living, and support ‘soft’ increase in residential impact with no or little impact on local character, or neighbouring residential amenity.
We also urged caution around new proposals relating to intentional unauthorised development, which risk unfair outcomes if not carefully framed, particularly where complex matters, including clarity on whether ‘permitted development rights’ exist can lead to innocent errors.
In summary, Hawksbeck supports the direction of travel but believes the revised NPPF should go further in recognising residential annexes as a low-impact, efficient way to meet changing housing needs.
