The publication of National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) introduces significant changes to planning policy in England, particularly in relation to landscape, ecology, climate resilience and nature recovery. The NPPF 2026 sets out the Government’s policies for plan-making and for making decisions on development proposals in England. The national decision-making policies are material planning considerations, alongside the policies in the local development plan.

This article explores what the NPPF 2026 changes mean for landscape and ecology. It considers the implications for nature recovery, climate resilience, green infrastructure, landscape-led design, and the long-term management and stewardship of place.

NPPF 2026: A revised and restructured framework

This latest version of the NPPF sees a comprehensive restructure of the document.

Policies are now organised into Plan-making and Decision-making sections. Chapter 2 contains general plan-making policies, while Chapter 3 contains general decision-making policies. The subsequent chapters contain specific plan-making and decision-making policies organised by theme.

Many of these chapters will be familiar from the 2024 NPPF. However, climate change has now been separated from flood risk and coastal change and given its own standalone chapter (Chapter 5).

NPPF 2026 strengthens expectations around nature recovery, climate resilience, adaptation and multifunctional green infrastructure. It also reinforces the importance of considering landscape and ecology from the earliest stages of a project.

Promoting sustainable development

NPPF 2026 makes it easier to build new homes near well-connected stations.

Development may be considered “not inappropriate” if it lies within a “reasonable walking distance of a well-connected station”. This applies even where land sits outside settlement boundaries (Policy S5) or within the Green Belt (Policy GB7).

These policies appear helpful for steering development towards sustainable locations. However, landscape-led design and green infrastructure strategies will be important from the outset. These approaches help create places that:

• Include welcoming walking and cycling routes;
• integrate appropriately with the surrounding context; and
• conserve and enhance landscape character, as detailed within Policy N2.

Chapter 12 promotes the effective use of land. Policies L2 and L3 encourage the remediation of brownfield land and, where appropriate within settlements, support increased densities and building upwards (for example, through additional storeys on existing buildings). The policies note that such development should have due consideration on the views from the surrounding streets and the character of the area. Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment will therefore continue to be a key tool in helping to shape appropriate development proposals.

Climate change mitigation and resilience

NPPF 2026 sets out more detailed requirements for how development proposals should mitigate climate change and transition to net zero (Policy CC2). The importance of habitats as carbon stores is recognised, with requirements to:

• Protect carbon-rich habitats;
• Restore peatlands and woodlands;
• Reuse existing structures, materials and non-contaminated soils; and
• Support net-zero development.

This policy highlights the importance of understanding a site’s existing features through surveys, audits and analysis. This helps protect, re-use and restore existing assets, locking in carbon and avoiding unnecessary disturbances.

Policy CC3 reinforces the importance of integrated green and blue infrastructure. Such measures can help manage surface water runoff and reduce overheating risks. The policy also sets out new requirements to mitigate against wildfires, including incorporating firebreaks into planting schemes.

Natural environment

NPPF 2026 expands its focus beyond protecting, conserving and enhancing the natural environment. It also places greater emphasis on supporting nature recovery and aligning with Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS). Development proposals are encouraged to connect to and strengthen ecological networks. This can help create resilient landscapes and identify opportunities to align with LNRS.

The mitigation hierarchy is retained. Significant biodiversity harm should first be avoided, then mitigated, and only compensated for as a last resort. Otherwise, development should be refused.

With regards the protection of nature conservation designation sites, the 2026 updates introduce the ability to address their protection through payment to an Environmental Delivery Plan (where they exist).

NPPF 2026 recognises statutory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements while providing greater clarity regarding local requirements (Policy N1). The Framework states that local authorities should only require BNG levels above the statutory 10% threshold where this is justified through specific site allocation policies and demonstrated to be deliverable. At the same time, development proposals are encouraged to deliver wider biodiversity enhancements wherever possible.

Additional requirements include:

• Incorporating features that support threatened species such as swifts, bats and hedgehogs.
• Integrated nest boxes (swift bricks) unless there are compelling technical reasons not to do so.
• Designing habitats and green infrastructure for long-term management and success, while minimising the risk of future failure.

Well-designed places

Chapter 12 sets out principles for well-designed places. The principles build on previous requirements such as being “visually attractive”, responding to the local character, history and context, and promoting healthy lifestyles. Additional principles include:

• Climate, and the role of landscape in reducing the risks from overheating
• Nature, including the provision of “high quality, accessible, multi-functional green infrastructure” that delivers health, recreation, biodiversity, air-quality and water-quality benefits.
• Movement, including prioritising walking, wheeling and cycling routes.
• Public space, and the emphasis on this to be safe, sociable and accessible for all. A particular mention is made to include spaces that are welcoming for women and girls.

These principles highlight the importance of landscape-led masterplanning during the early stages of a project. Site-specific green infrastructure strategies can then respond effectively to the environmental and social context of the site. This creates a foundation for embedding parks, play spaces, green corridors, street trees and habitats throughout the design, construction and long-term stewardship of development. The result is more successful places for people and nature.

Protected landscapes

There are some changes within NPPF 2026 to how designated and non-designated landscapes are described. A new term, ‘protected landscapes’, is introduced, which refers to “National Parks, the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads and National Landscapes in England”. Policy N4 seeks to conserve and enhance these areas.

Development within Protected Landscapes should be limited and should avoid harm to their statutory purposes and special qualities. Development proposals within the setting of Protected Landscapes should be sensitively located and designed. They should avoid or minimise adverse impacts on the Protected Landscape.

The much-debated term ‘valued landscape’ is no longer included within the NPPF. Whilst this may help with clarity of terminology, there is concern from the Landscape Institute that this weakens the protection of areas of the countryside that are widely appreciated and enjoyed, but which are undesignated.

The NPPF does, however, introduce the term ‘landscape character’. This recognises the features that make landscapes distinct, whether designated or undesignated. Policy N2 states that development proposals should:

“Consider the environmental qualities of land proposed for development, including habitats, landscape character and the natural beauty of the countryside, and identify opportunities for those qualities to be conserved or enhanced”

At a more local scale, protection is given to: “natural features of visual, historic or nature conservation value (such as established trees and hedgerows)” (Policy N2).

These changes reinforce the importance of landscape character assessment within Landscape and Visual Appraisals and Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments (LVIA). Such assessments help establish the values, sensitivities and context of a site. This enables robust evidence to be prepared to provide strategic landscape advice and to guide landscape-led decisions for development.

New landscape within developments

NPPF 2026 places a greater emphasis on tree planting, with a whole policy dedicated to trees in new development (Policy N3). The biodiversity and climate change benefits of trees are given more recognition. The policy also continues the expectation for new streets to be tree-lined “unless there are strong reasons why this would be inappropriate”, and for trees to be incorporated in other suitable locations within a development.

Greater emphasis is placed on selecting the right species for the right location. This helps deliver multiple environmental benefits while ensuring tree planting is coordinated with highways and infrastructure. This highlights the importance of considering tree planting during early masterplanning. Doing so allows meaningful planting to be delivered rather than compromised by underground constraints.

If you would like to discuss how the 2026 NPPF may affect your site or project, our team at Nicholas Pearson Associates can help you identify opportunities, manage constraints and develop strategies that respond effectively to this new policy context.

Contact us for more information.