The introduction of the updated ‘December 2024’ National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the latest Standard Method for Housing Needs Assessment (April 2025) have had an impact on Local Plan progress across the County.
The revised method increases the housing requirement across Hertfordshire (from 8,087 per annum to 10,001 per annum) and results in all but two Authorities (Welwyn Hatfield and Watford) experiencing an increase.
The two largest increases are in St Albans and Dacorum, both of whom have progressed their Local Plans to avoid said increase under the transitional arrangements. It will be interesting to see how these plans fare at examination.
Elsewhere, the reforms are having the desired effect for a more efficient plan led system with an array of new Local Plans being prepared, creating opportunities for engagement across 5/6 Authorities.
The key opportunity in Hertfordshire will be the role of and potential release of the Green Belt (52% of the County is Green Belt, as of 2023) to meet increased housing demands across the County, especially under the guise of the Golden Rules.
In addition to the above, the Local Government reorganisation outlined in the December 2024 White Paper set out plans to simplify local governance, seeking to create more Unitary Councils. The Hertfordshire Authorities responded to this jointly with an interim proposal in March 2025, setting out 4 potential options: either 2, 3 or 4 Unitary Councils across Hertfordshire. It will be interesting to see how progress on the two Joint Strategic Plans (2050) influence these future decision(s). This is particularly relevant following the 1st May local elections. These saw Hertfordshire having no overall control with the Conservatives losing their majority.
Five-Year Land Supply
Development Plans that are more than 5 years old are subject to the Standard Method when calculating their 5 year housing land supply. In total 7 of the 10 District Authorities are currently unable to demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply (North Hertfordshire, East Hertfordshire, Welwyn Hatfield, Dacorum, Hertsmere, St Albans and Three Rivers). An 8th Authority (Stevenage) is also subject to the presumption in favour of sustainable development, due to its Housing Delivery Test score.
This has more relevance for opportunities under the new NPPF reforms, following the introduction of the ‘Grey Belt’. If a site is considered to not strongly contribute against the identified 3 purposes of the Green Belt (Paragraph 155), the site is deemed to be sustainable as per the application of the ‘Golden Rules’ (Paragraph 157) and there is a demonstrable unmet need of the development sought, then development can be considered ‘appropriate’ within the Green Belt (without requiring Very Special Circumstances).
Consequently, we are already seeing more positive outcomes at a Local Level but more so at appeal for the release of ‘Grey Belt’ sites for housing.
