A free briefing note from Squires Planning on the transitional arrangements, the new policies and what parish and town councils need to do next.
The National Planning Policy Framework was updated on 17 August 2026. If your neighbourhood plan hadn't reached Regulation 15 submission by that date, the new rules apply to you.
Our latest update note walks you through:
- What's changed, including the shift towards clearer plan- and decision-making policies.
- The new PM5, PM6 and PM8 requirements.
- The transitional arrangements that determine which framework your plan should follow.
The download also sets out where neighbourhood plans still carry weight and where the new framework expects a tighter, more locally focused approach.
Written by Andrew Metcalfe, Chartered Town Planner and Managing Director of Squires Planning, this briefing has been prepared specifically for parish and town councils, neighbourhood forums and steering groups working on plans at any stage.
Download to find out:
- Whether your plan should follow the December 2024 or August 2026 framework
- What the new PM5, PM6, PM8 and PM17 policies mean in practice
- The eight-point compliance review we recommend for plans not yet submitted
- What hasn't changed, and where neighbourhood plans still hold real influence
Download here
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