A Statement from Steve Read Minister of Housing 18th November 2025 highlighted changes to the planning system that will have a impact on the development on developments in Guildford.
The changes also limit the powers of Local Planning Authorities to reject development in significant ways.
Development of the right quality and density around train stations enables working families to benefit from greater opportunities to live in close proximity to transport hubs – saving them time and money – alongside unlocking more opportunities for jobs, education, and sustainable growth.
That is why – as part of a revised, more rules-based National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) – the Government intends to provide a “default yes” to suitable planning applications for development within a reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations. This will give greater certainty for housebuilders, allow development to be approved more quickly, and unlock tens of thousands of new homes during this Parliament.
This new policy will form part of the consultation on a revised NPPF by the end of the year, and will apply to land around both train and tram stations with a sufficient frequency of services. Recognising the significant benefits for jobs and growth that can be unlocked by building around train stations, these rules will extend to land within the Green Belt – continuing efforts to ensure that a policy designed in the middle of the last century is updated to work today. As with other Green Belt land, the Golden Rules would apply – ensuring higher levels of affordable housing, local infrastructure and green space are provided to local communities.
The new approach will apply equally across all local authorities, so that these benefits are realised across the country.
Second, while planning decisions are principally for local authorities, the Minister holds powers that allow the holder to take over applications and determine them directly – ensuring the right decisions are taken in the local and national interest.
It is intended, given the scale of the housing crisis, and the imperative of building the homes required, that these powers are used in a more focused and active way. Local authorities will be required to noticy MHCLG where they intend to refuse an application for 150 homes or more – providing the opportunity for the MHCLG to interve and take over the determination..
This will be enforced through a new Consultation Direction and a change to legislation, and supported by a revised call-in and recovery policy.
The Government will also commence new provisions that allow called-in applications to be dealt with faster through written representations, rather than requiring an inquiry, where requested by the main parties.
The statutory consultee system requires reform. Statutory consultees play a crucial role in the planning system by providing expert advice on significant environmental, transport, safety, cultural and heritage issues, ensuring informed and balanced decision-making. However, a lack of clarity in the requirements for consultation and an overreliance on statutory advice can contribute to delays and inefficiencies in the planning process.
The Government has on the 18th November 2025 published a consultation that proposes the removal of Sport England, The Gardens Trust, and Theatres Trust as statutory consultees in planning applications to help rationalise the planning system, as set out in the Written Ministerial Statement on the Reform of the Statutory Consultation System of March 10. MHCLG since the spring, have also worked with key statutory consultees to develop broader reforms, which aim to cut applications requiring input from bodies such as Highways England and Active Travel England by up to 40%, saving time and effort for developers and councils.
It is expected that these reforms to the planning system will reduce delays and uncertainty in the process and remove bottlenecks to economic growth.
The goveernment contends these three changes are necessary but not sufficient in achieving their goal of building 1.5 million homes in this Parliament. The changes the initial steps in the second phase of planning reform. MHCLG will set out more detail on a acceleration plan before the end of the year, including publishing a revised version of the NPPF for consultation that establishes a more rules-based planning system, including our policy on unlocking development around rail.
Three sites show where the new regulations could have an impact.
The changes to the NPPF make the approval of this site https://www.guildfordsociety.org.uk/NormFlexGreybelt.html far more likely as it it adjacent to an existing rail station and could be determined at national level due to being over 150 dwellings. This is despite it being in the Greenbelt.
The changes might have a different effect at Gosden Hill https://www.guildfordsociety.org.uk/GosdenHillKS.html. The current application does not make any allowance for tha rail station despite the council have been very clear in various policies their desire for a Guildford East station to create a sustainanble development. The governments desire to use rail to unlock development may change the ideas around provison on the station.
The site https://www.guildfordsociety.org.uk/blackwell-park.html which is being worked on to create a plan at present suffers from pooor connectivity being deppenfdent on an overloaded A3. Poterntially creating the Guildford West station could unlock development. A Guildford West Station could also service the RSCH.
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