Hastings' response to draft NPPF

We have sent our responses to the government's draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Below is a summary of our response.

Introduction

Hastings Borough Council submitted its response to the government’s consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in March 2026.

Our response focused on ensuring that national planning policy reflects the realities faced by constrained coastal authorities such as Hastings, while continuing to support sustainable and appropriate growth.

Our key points

Recognising Hastings’ constraints

Hastings is a tightly constrained coastal borough, with significant challenges including land instability, flood risk, infrastructure capacity and a sensitive historic environment.

Our response emphasised that national policy must properly reflect these constraints and avoid placing unrealistic expectations on areas where development opportunities are inherently limited.

Development viability

The council raised concerns about proposals that assume development viability can largely be resolved at the plan-making stage.

In Hastings, site-specific constraints mean viability issues often arise at application stage and cannot always be anticipated in advance. A national approach that does not reflect this risks undermining deliverability, including the provision of affordable housing.

We also highlighted the potential impact of additional costs, such as the proposed Building Safety Levy.

Protecting the historic environment

Hastings has a rich and sensitive historic environment which requires careful management.
The council expressed concern that proposed changes could weaken heritage protections, particularly where less clear terminology may allow harm to be more easily balanced against public benefits. We stressed the importance of maintaining strong and consistent protections.

Flood risk and coastal change

The council strongly supported proposals to strengthen policy on flood risk and coastal change.

Given Hastings’ coastal location and vulnerability to flooding and erosion, clear national policy is essential to support sustainable drainage, effective coastal management and the restoration of natural watercourses.

Infrastructure and resourcing

Our response highlighted the increasing complexity of national planning policy, without a corresponding commitment to resourcing local authorities.

New technical requirements risk slowing decision-making unless councils are adequately funded and supported to implement them.

Community engagement

The council raised concerns that proposed changes to development thresholds could reduce opportunities for community engagement, particularly for the types of schemes most common in Hastings.

We emphasised the importance of maintaining meaningful local involvement in planning decisions.

Conclusion

Hastings Borough Council supports a national planning framework that enables sustainable growth, but this must be grounded in local realities.

Our response calls for a balanced approach—one that supports delivery while recognising environmental constraints, infrastructure capacity and the need to protect the borough’s unique character.