Planning policy framework promises to remove red tape for farmers

Potential changes to planning policy have been welcomed by farmers in the hope it will remove “red tape”. 

The government’s draft National Planning Policy Framework, published this week, has been welcomed by the NFU and others as an opportunity to support investment and speed up planning applications. 

Part of the framework would see changes to the Principle of Development, meaning local planning authorities will be expected to give a default yes to agricultural developments in rural areas – unless there are exceptional circumstances.

It has also suggested that substantial weight should be given to “benefits for domestic production, animal welfare and the environment which can be demonstrated through proposals for development for farm and agricultural modernisation”. 

In applying the policy, the government said the sustainable growth of businesses in rural areas should be supported, including through diversification of agricultural businesses and improvement to farm viability. 

“The government’s proposed consultation is a clear indication of its intent to modernise the planning system and make it work better for farming businesses,” said NFU vice president Rachel Hallos. “We agree with secretary of state Steve Reed that the current system is not working well enough and must change to allow our members’ businesses to grow and invest in the future.”

The specific changes to the Principle of Development would also represent a “significant step forward in making planning simpler and more supportive of farming businesses”. 

In its Driving Growth Through a Thriving Food System, the IGD said changes to planning policy could unlock an additional £5bn to the economy via investment in expanded production capacity, and the creation of 60,000 new jobs through the poultry and horticulture sectors.

“This proposal will strengthen the UK’s ability to grow more of its own fruit and vegetables and produce more of its own poultry, reducing reliance on imports and improving food security,” said IGD CEO Sarah Bradbury.

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Commenting on the current state of the planning system, the British Free Range Egg Producers Association said it was “too slow, too costly, and does not give farmers certainty”. 

“Poultry farmers are increasingly losing faith with the planning system and the government’s lack of acknowledgement that UK-produced food is the best and that our rural economy needs nurture at the present time,” said head of strategy and producer engagement at BFREPA Gary Ford. 

He added that he hopes a reformed framework will “bring to an end decades of red tape, delays, cost and frustration that too many farmers are experiencing”. 

The British Egg Industry Council’s Nick Allen echoed this, saying the changes would improve efficiency, clarity, and consistency.

“We expect that a modernised national planning policy will help unlock investment and further support the development of our sector’s approach to bird welfare, environmental performance and productivity – areas in which the UK egg sector already leads the world,” Allen said.

The draft plan is out for consultation until 10 March.