The National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) website was launched in response to the Taylor Review. The review set out that the government should bring together all planning guidance in one easy-to-navigate website. The principle being that by removing the plethora of often rather aged and out of date guidance with one up-to-date source the planning system would become more accessible and as a result speedier.The website represents a massive stripping back of the current guidance, whole documents are summarised into just a few paragraphs.

Guidance should put more meat on the bones of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), presenting more detail to support Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in drawing up their local plans and providing more information and explanation for local communities. The new guidance is so minimalist in its approach it seemingly only acts as signposting to the NPPF and legislation. Such an approach can only lead to more planning by appeal as the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State are forced to make more decisions as LPA decisions will increasingly be seen as open to argument.