National Planning Policy Framework Update

In August 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published an updated version of the National Planning Policy Framework. This was the second revision of the document since the Labour Government entered office in July 2024, the previous update being published in December 2024. What are the key changes that will affect the freight sector?

National planning policy for England is currently set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This was originally published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in March 2012 and brought together multiple planning policy and guidance publications into one framework document. It was subsequently revised and reissued in February 2019 and July 2021 under the previous Government, and in December 2024 by the current Labour administration. The most recent iteration, published in August 2026, has now replaced the version published in December 2024. 

New developments (and major refurbishments of existing developments) normally require the granting of planning consent from a local planning authority, in most cases a Unitary/Metropolitan authority or a district council where two-tier local government still exists. Local planning authorities are required by law to prepare and keep up to date a Local Plan (the development plan), setting out the authority’s planning policies and the allocation of land to particular uses e.g. residential, employment etc...  The NPPF reiterates that the planning system should be ‘plan-led, and that keeping up-to-date development plans is a priority for providing development in a sustainable manner. Planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The NPPF sets out the Government’s policies that must be taken into account when preparing Local Plans, and how decisions on planning applications are subsequently made.

Compared with previous iterations, the current NPPF addresses the needs of the freight sector much more comprehensively, particularly in supporting and facilitating investment in new or enhanced facilities/infrastructure. For example, in the December 2024 NPPF, other than the general references to sustainable transport, there were only two statements that covered facilitating developments that meet the needs of the freight and logistics sector, alongside support for HGV parking at distribution centres.

Policy E1 addresses providing the conditions for long-term economic growth. It states that to support business investment and employment, development plans should ‘allocate sites to implement the economic vision and strategy and meet identified needs’. This includes making provision for ‘freight and logistics operations at a variety of scales and in suitably accessible locations that allow for the efficient and reliable handling of goods, especially where this is needed to support the supply chain (including ‘last mile’ deliveries), transport innovation and decarbonisation’.

With regards to meeting the need for business land and premises, Policy E2 states that substantial weight should be given to ‘proposals for commercial development which allow businesses to invest, especially where this would…support improvements in freight and logistics’. This policy also considers whether changing needs can be through existing allocations or whether there is an under supply of land.  

Policy E3 addresses freight and logistics specifically. It states that to ‘support the effective and efficient movement of goods, development proposals for freight and logistics and associated infrastructure should:

• Have good access to transport networks (including via sustainable transport modes where possible);
• Be sited and designed to limit environmental impacts; and
• Provide sufficient and secure parking for lorries or other vehicles.’

Policy TR1 addresses sustainable transport. It notes that sustainable transport should be considered from the earliest stages of plan-making, and that this should be done by ‘providing for any transport facilities that need to be located in the area…and the infrastructure and wider development required to support them. This includes uses such as ports, lorry parking facilities, freight interchanges, roadside services and rail depots’. Policy TR4 states that in order to contribute to creating well designed places, proposals should ‘allow for the efficient delivery of goods’.

Policy TR5 addresses the need for roadside facilities, including lorry parks. It notes that facilities should ‘meet an evidenced need to improve the safety and welfare of road users’, including the ‘provision of overnight lorry parking facilities to address any local or wider shortages and reduce the risk of parking in locations which lack appropriate facilities or could cause a nuisance.’

Policy S6 states that only certain forms of development should be approved outside settlements. These should be approved where it covers ‘development which would address an evidenced unmet need’, specifically including ‘major development for freight and logistics purposes which accords with Policy E3’ as one of the development types.

Overall, the revised NPPF appears to be a significant improvement on the previous iterations of the document with respect to how it addresses freight developments. Local Plans will now need to actively include freight site allocations at a variety of scales and at suitable locations in order to meet future needs. Ports, rail terminals and freight interchanges are specifically mentioned as facilities that should be included in the earliest stages of plan making. Significant weight should be given to planning applications which support improvements to freight and logistics. A specific policy provides guidance as to the most suitable locations for freight and logistics facilities. Lorry parking facilities are also supported where there is an evidenced need for extra provision. Major freight and logistics developments are one of the only land uses which should be approved outside settlements.  

However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, as the expression goes. Freight and logistics is a private sector activity, and the facilities/infrastructure it operates from is generally dependent on capital investment from funds and investors. Planning policy should be supporting and facilitating such investment at the appropriate locations where there is a need. Only time will tell whether the new NPPF makes it easier to invest in and deliver new freight facilities where required.