Civic Voice announces formation of Expert Forum for NPPF Consultation

Civic Voice is pleased to announce the creation of an 'Expert Forum' in response to the overwhelming number of comments received regarding the Government's new consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Recognising the importance of community involvement, the Trustees of Civic Voice are seeking volunteers with expertise in planning, housing, local government, and community involvement to join this forum and contribute to shaping the civic movement's official response. The forum will be chaired by Margaret Hollins, Civic Voice Trustee, and supported by Civic Voice staff. While the primary focus of the forum is the current consultation response, there is potential for it to evolve into a more permanent standing body to inform Civic Voice policy in the long term.

The recent Civic Voice Regional Meeting highlighted several critical areas of focus which an expert forum might cover:

Affordability and Housing Availability

  • Concerns were raised about the true affordability of housing and access to adequate housing, particularly the need for more social housing and addressing substandard private rented housing.
  • The importance of strategic land availability 
  • Understanding the clear definition of what affordable housing means

Regional Planning and Infrastructure

  • There was strong advocacy for a return to regional planning, the development of new towns, and improving infrastructure connectivity.
  • The importance of local authorities cooperating across boundaries to ensure more effective planning was noted.

Sustainable Development and Environmental considerations

  • Investment in renewable energy sources, such as tidal power and solar panels on buildings, was encouraged
  • Proposals for developing new market towns utilising existing infrastructure were discussed.

Capacity and Workforce challenges

  • Questions about the capacity to meet housing targets and the availability of planners and builders were raised.
  • The need for a larger workforce to support planning and building efforts 

Civic Voice encourages individuals who can offer their time and expertise to join the Expert Forum. This is an opportunity to play a vital role in shaping the civic movement's response to the NPPF consultation and potentially influence long-term policy. Interested individuals are invited to contact Civic Voice via .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to arrange a discussion about the next steps.