Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, what expert guidance they intend to seek in defining the criteria for well-designed buildings and places.

As the Housing and Planning Minister said in his written statement on 12 November ‘We want exemplary development to be the norm not the exception so that more communities feel the benefits of new development and welcome it. As we act to boost housing supply, we are therefore determined to take steps to improve the design and quality of the homes and neighbourhoods being built.’

The National Design Guide and National Model Design Code set out ten characteristics of well-designed places and how to achieve good design in the planning system. The department intends to update this guidance in Spring 2025 and will test this with urban design experts and practitioners from local authorities and the private sector. We also intend to establish quarterly Steering Boards on design and placemaking, ensuring that our work is guided by those with relevant professional and practical expertise.

We will continue to bolster design skills and capacity through the £46 million package of capacity and capability support provided to local planning authorities. This will be used to fund the recruitment and training of 300 graduate and apprentice planners, along with the £1 million funding to Public Practice for the recruitment of planners, architects and urban designers. Together, this framework provides a clear basis for the delivery of more high-quality, well-designed homes.