URGENT MESSAGE - SWLP UPDATE REGARDING NPPF PROPOSED REFORMS TO INTRODUCE DEVELOPMENT AROUND RAILWAY STATIONS AS A DEFAULT POSITION - YET ANOTHER CONSULTATION DOCUMENT TO COMPLETE - CLOSING DATE 10TH MARCH.

The government is proposing to make areas with a railway station a default for development; we must all object to this giving sound reasons. I know we have commented before but they are asking us to go through another hoop. Everyone's objections are needed.  MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

GOVERNMENT PUBLIC CONSULTATION ONLINE LINK  (https://consult.communities.gov.uk/planning/proposed-reforms-to-the-national-planning-policy-f/)

The full document is available at the PDF downloadable below, and we have highlhgted some of the important points here:

Duration: This consultation will begin on 16 December 2025 and close at 11:45pm on 10 March 2026.
Enquiries: For any enquiries about the consultation please contact:  

How to respond

Citizen Space is the department’s online consultation portal and our preferred route for receiving consultation responses. We strongly encourage responses are made via Citizen Space, particularly from organisations with access to online facilities such as local planning authorities, representative bodies and businesses. Consultations receive a high-level of interest across many sectors. Using the online survey greatly assists our analysis of the responses, enabling more efficient and effective consideration of the issues raised.

1. Respondents do not need to answer every question.
2. Respondents should not cite previous questions or remark ‘see above’. Due to the way the consultation responses are processed we cannot guarantee your comments will be captured if replying in this way. Any points you wish to raise in response to a question should be set out in full as part of that question’s response.
3. The citizen space portal will be available at the below link: https://consult.communities.gov.uk/planning/proposed-reforms-to-the-national-planning-policy-f/
4. If you cannot respond via Citizen Space, or you have supporting evidence to accompany your response you may send your response or supporting evidence by email to:
5. Written responses should be sent to:
   Planning Policy Consultation Team Planning Directorate – Planning Policy Division Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Floor 3, Fry Building 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF
6. When you reply, it would be very useful if you please confirm whether you are replying as an individual or submitting an official response on behalf of an organisation and include:
   1. your name
   2. your position (if applicable)
   3. the name of organisation (if applicable)
   Please make it clear which question each comment relates to and ensure that the text of your response is in a format that allows copying of individual sentences or paragraphs, to help us when considering your view on particular issues. Thank you for taking time to submit responses to this consultation. Your views will help improve and shape our national planning policies.

Link to Consultation Document December_2025_NPPF_Consultation.pdf