In December 2025, the Government published a draft revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for consultation, marking the most significant reform of national planning policy in over a decade. The consultation runs until 10 March 2026, but the proposed changes are already highly relevant to rural landowners, farmers, estate owners and those running rural tourism and leisure businesses. The consultation signals the future direction of national planning policy and provides a chance to review opportunities in rural areas.
This article summarises what is changing, why it matters in the countryside, and how rural businesses can respond.
A Clearer – and Stronger – Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development
One of the most important changes in the draft NPPF is the replacement of the familiar “tilted balance” with a more permanent, location based presumption in favour of sustainable development. The new presumption is in effect “switched on” by default, applying certainty to what forms of development are acceptable inside settlements (Policy S4) and outside settlements (Policy S5). There is also new support for housing and mixed use development around well connected railway stations in rural areas.
What Development Is Supported Outside Settlements?
Let’s jump straight into specific forms of development that should be approved in the countryside unless the adverse effects would substantially outweigh the benefits. Under policy S5, supported development types include:
- Agriculture, horticulture and forestry, including modernisation and diversification
- Outdoor sport and recreation, allotments, cemeteries and burial grounds
- Infrastructure and engineering operations, including transport, energy and water
- Mineral development
- Limited infilling within groups of houses
- Reuse, extension or replacement of existing buildings
- Redevelopment of previously developed land (PDL), including mixed‑use schemes including residential
- Rural businesses and services, including tourism and leisure, where a countryside location is shown to be necessary
- Allocated development in adopted plans
- Residential development linked to unmet housing needs, including where housing land supply is constrained
- Development near well‑connected railway stations, including in some rural locations.
Importantly, this presumption does not apply to Green Belt or Local Green Space, where specific protective policies still prevail.
We should also add that the policy outlines that developments for isolated homes, which are those outside of settlements or groups of houses, still need to meet qualifying criteria under HO11 (which is similar to paragraph 84 of the current NPPF).
Stronger Support for Rural Businesses and Economic Growth
The draft NPPF significantly strengthens national support for rural businesses by increasing the weight given to economic benefits. Under Policy E2, “substantial weight” is now afforded to proposals that enable businesses to invest, expand or adapt. This includes explicit recognition of the importance of domestic food production, agricultural modernisation, animal welfare and environmental enhancement. There is also now recognition of market supply and demand, locational requirements and the availability of infrastructure in meeting the needs of businesses, as a way of justifying the location of development in support of policy S5.
For rural businesses, Policy E4 provides clearer national backing than ever before. It supports the reuse of existing rural buildings and well‑designed new development, encourages diversification of agricultural and land‑based businesses to maintain long‑term farm viability, and positively supports facilities for tourism and leisure, including accommodation and visitor attractions where appropriate to their setting. This policy direction reflects growing recognition of rural tourism as a vital economic driver and is key to ensuring sustainable growth in the countryside.
Where are my opportunities?
For rural landowners and businesses, the draft NPPF represents a planning environment that’s more permissive and rule based, providing greater certainty over what forms of development should and shouldn’t be permitted.
The inclusion in S5 of the re-use and extension of existing buildings and redevelopment of previously developed land provides greater support to landowners with redundant buildings, where they are either looking to redevelop these for commercial purposes or for mixed use residential. We should also note that the definition of existing buildings is clarified as a building existing when the new NPPF is published, as opposed to more restrictive definitions used previously.
Further, the substantial weight afforded to economic benefits provides a clear line in the sand on the value of rural businesses and the positive weight this plays in the planning balance.
So if you are a rural landowner with a plan for diversification, with existing buildings languishing without a good financial return, or have land interests on the edge of settlements or near train stations – please get in touch.
Or, if you are a rural business, provide a rural service, or are a tourism or hospitality enterprise looking to invest, expand or adapt – please get in touch.
Edgars can support you by identifying how land, buildings and rural enterprises align with the revised policies, helping to maximise the weight given to economic benefits, diversification and long term viability.
We provide end-to-end planning advice across the rural sector from feasibility and planning appraisals through to submissions and engagement with local authorities. As the consultation progresses and the final NPPF takes shape, we can also assist clients in responding to policy changes, reviewing existing strategies and bringing forward well justified proposals that capitalise on the strengthened national support for rural businesses and sustainable countryside growth.
Authors
- Amy Powell, Associate, Edgars
- Jon Westerman, Director, Edgars
Image by mikeuk on Canva.
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