Part A Spatial Strategy - Draft Local Plan for Buckinghamshire (Reg 18)

2. National Context

The Local Plan for Buckinghamshire is informed by government policy. The key government policy informing the development of the Local Plan is the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and associated Planning Practice Guidance (PPG).

The NPPF says that the Local Plan should balance economic, social and environmental objectives to plan for the development needs of Buckinghamshire over at least the next 15 years, as well as aligning growth and infrastructure, improve the environment and mitigate and adapt to climate change. This means we should meet the objectively assessed needs for housing and other uses, as well as any needs that cannot be met in neighbouring areas.

In order to understand any unmet development needs of our neighbours and to maintain ongoing discussions about Buckinghamshire's own ability to meet development needs, we have ongoing 'duty-to-cooperate' discussions with neighbouring councils and other duty-to- cooperate bodies.

The NPPF was revised and published on 12 December 2024 by the government, which included a new calculation for assessing housing need and a requirement to look at Green Belt sites if development needs cannot be met on land that is not in the Green Belt. The new housing need for Buckinghamshire is based on a statistical formula set out by government, which requires 4,332 dwellings per annum, or around 95,000 new homes (with a 5% buffer) over the plan period to 2045 for Buckinghamshire. This is a 43% increase from the previous calculation used to assessing housing need. This increase implies a dramatic change to the County should this level of development proceed.