The Parish Assembly met to discuss the implications of the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the revised Local Plan for towns and parishes. Councillors also received an update on devolution and local government reorganisation, and a presentation on the Staffordshire Parish Councils' Association Health and Wellbeing Project. Finally, they discussed a Town and Parish Council Networking Event.

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Update

The assembly received an update on the revised NPPF, published on 12 December 2024, and its implications for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. The main changes from the previous version of the NPPF include:

• Housing Supply: Reintroduction of mandatory minimum housing targets, restoration of five-year housing land supply rules, and a new standard method for calculating housing need.
• Sustainable Development: Amendment and strengthening of the presumption in favour of sustainable development principle.
• Green Belt: Introduction of the term 'grey belt', the need for green belt reviews, 'golden rules', affordable housing, and amendments to what constitutes inappropriate development in the green belt.
• Economy: Additional emphasis placed on the delivery of modern economic development such as labs, giga factories, data centres, freight and logistics, and development supporting the digital economy and decarbonisation.
• Climate Change: A specific reference to the aim to transition to net zero by 2050.
• Development Plan Making: Encouraging local authorities to progress their plan making, setting out transitional arrangements for plan making, and making available funding for local authorities to use for plan making. Also, amendments to the 'duty to co-operate' requirement.

Specific implications for Staffordshire Moorlands District Council are:

• The new Staffordshire Moorlands Local Plan will be produced under the new planning system once the details have been confirmed by the Government.
• The council's 5-year housing land supply position is currently 2.95 years.
• When taking decisions on planning applications, the tilted balance in favour of development applies.
• Higher housing figures than the current Local Plan so more land needed for housing development.
• A new Green Belt Review is needed in Staffordshire Moorlands to identify any 'grey belt' opportunities which could potentially be suitable for development.
• The council has been awarded £70,000 from the Government to assist with the production of the new Green Belt Review.

Updates to Planning Practice Guidance (PPG)

The assembly also received an update on the main changes to the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG), including:

• Effective use of land (27 February 2025): Substantial weight given to development of suitable brownfield land.
• Green Belt (27 February 2025): Green Belt Assessments, key steps, grey belt, proposals on grey belt land, golden rules, and openness.
• Housing and Economic Needs Assessment (25 February 2025): Housing need / standard method, the housing requirement, the Local Housing Need (LHN) calculation (housing stock/affordability), and past under delivery.
• Housing supply and delivery (12 December 2024): Housing Delivery Test, 5 year housing land supply, buffers, and consequences of under delivery.
• Natural Environment (19 February 2025): Furthering biodiversity / BNG¹, Local Nature Recovery Strategies, furthering the purposes of land in National Parks.
• Plan-making (19 February 2025): Evidence relating to the natural environment / biodiversity.
• Viability (12 December 2024): Costs included in viability assessments and Green Belt 'Golden Rules'.

New Standard Method ~ Housing Requirements

The new standard method for calculating housing need was discussed. The following table compares the 2016 Local Plan requirement, the previous standard method, and the new standard method:

The new standard method considers median house prices, median workplace earnings, and affordability ratio.

Green Belt / Grey Belt

The meeting included a discussion of Green Belt and 'grey belt' land. The purposes of Green Belt are:

• To check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas
• To prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another
• Assist in safeguarding countryside from encroachment
• To preserve the setting and character of historic towns
• Assist in urban regeneration by encouraging recycling of derelict and other urban land

The NPPF defines 'grey belt' as:

land in the Green Belt comprising previously developed land and/or any other land that, in either case, does not strongly contribute to any of purposes (a), (b), or (d) in paragraph 143.

The NPPF states that development of homes, commercial and other development in the Green Belt should not be regarded as inappropriate where all the following apply:

• The development would utilise grey belt land and would not fundamentally undermine the purposes of the remaining Green Belt across the area of the plan.
• There is a demonstrable unmet need for the type of development proposed.
• The development would be in a sustainable location.
• Where applicable the development proposed meets the 'Golden Rules' requirements set out in paragraphs 156-157.

The planning system should actively manage patterns of growth in support of these objectives, and significant development should be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable, through limiting the need to travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes.

Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation Update

Councillor Mike Gledhill, Leader of the Council, provided an update on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). The Assembly was previously advised on 26 June 2025 that the politically balanced Devolution & LGR Sub-Committee had met regularly and had considered the emerging options for LGR in Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent. The Sub-Committee had agreed a shortlist of four options (Options A, B, C & D) for the Council to undertake a detailed options appraisal and establish a preferred position.

The council is required to submit a proposal for a single tier of local government by 28 November 2025.

Staffordshire Parish Councils' Association Health and Wellbeing Project

The assembly received a presentation on the Staffordshire Parish Councils' Association (SPCA) Health and Wellbeing Project.

Town and Parish Council Networking Event

The assembly discussed a Town and Parish Council Networking Event.