CPRE responds to summer 2026 NPPF announcement

The government will publish a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) later today, after a public consultation earlier in 2026.

Prior to publication of the revised NPPF, the government announced that it will include a default ‘yes’ to development around train stations — even in the Green Belt — and support the rapid rollout of data centres and other infrastructure.

Responding to the government’s announcement, Roger Mortlock, CPRE CEO, said:

‘Andy Burnham arrived at Number 10 promising greater devolution. Today’s National Planning Policy Framework appears to straitjacket local leaders, especially in rural England, with a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach that ignores the realities on the ground.

‘A ‘default yes’ to development near any train station, regardless of its capacity, could see thousands of homes built in places with no prospect of extra trains or other essential infrastructure. Integrating new homes with public transport is good for people and the planet but this blanket approach risks locking in car dependency while putting the Green Belt and other protected landscapes at risk.

‘The same goes for data centres. Fast- tracking these huge developments without thinking through their environmental impact will hand big corporations the keys to some of our most beautiful landscapes and leave the countryside to pay the price for Silicon Valley’s UK gold rush.

‘Local leaders should not be slaves to meaningless national targets. If the government serious about devolution, it should give mayors and new Strategic Authorities the power to set their own housing targets based on local need and demand.’

We will be publishing a full response to the revised NPPF later this week.