THE New NPPF: How Technology Can Shape Housing for the Future

There’s an excellent book written by Simon Sinek entitled ‘Start with Why’ that teaches us the importance of understanding purpose. But when it comes to the need for more housing and more quickly, it won’t take anyone long to understand the ‘why’ of this issue: nearly 1.3 million people are waiting for a home, homelessness is on the rise, and first time buyers face daunting hurdles. 

The government's new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) aims to tackle these challenges by reducing red tape and accelerating decision-making. But while the 'why' of the housing crisis is clear, the real challenge lies in answering the 'how.'

The Housing Crisis by the numbers

The Scale of the Crisis

• Nearly 1.3m people waiting for a home
• Homelessness has  risen by 14% 
• Over  200,00 social homes have been lost in the last decade
• Waiting time for a home can be years - in Greenwich 55 years!

Challenges for First Time Buyers

• The average age of first time buyers, depending on region, ranging from 31 in Wales to 36 in London
• The average deposit for first time buyers vary from £29,740 in North East England to £108,848 in London
• Life expectancy since 2000 has risen from 77 years to 82 years
• House prices are now 8.8 times average earnings—more than double since the 1970s

Answering the 'How'

How do we overcome these barriers to meet the growing housing demand? The statement ‘Just build more!’ is too simplistic which the industry recognises. Complex questions must be addressed: 

• How can we create viable housing schemes for both lower-income households and private buyers?

• Where should new developments be located to maximise benefit and minimise disruption?

• How do we clearly communicate the impact of change to affected communities?

• What tools can help us quickly assess site-specific challenges and opportunities?

• How can we ensure resources and infrastructure align with new developments?

With just some of these questions, it seems obvious that we need to adopt technology to support us in our understanding and communicating of these issues. Technology that can visualise data over time, can be shared with all the relevant stakeholders, and allow for and show different outcomes. And show us quickly and accurately so that we still need not delay in decision making and actions. 

 It is now truly possible to illustrate what a new town, for example, might look like in 3D context to its existing environment. Beyond that, to illustrate traffic flows, environmental impacts and the wider planning issues. This type of technology can show what Plans and Policy might look like in 3D and be extended to a granular understanding of how a location might alter in appearance over time and the wider effects of change. For example, generative design tools now deliver site appraisals in minutes, optimising Masterplans to suit specific locations.

These tools are not here to replace human expertise but to enhance it–accelerating decision-making, reducing delays, and ensuring the best outcomes for both the people and the planet. To help us appreciate the long term effects of our decisions and therefore aid us in determining the best possible strategy today. These technologies allow us to translate current ideas of Masterplans in the environment to an actual appreciation of what this could look like and their impact.

A call to action 

We have made many mistakes in our historic planning because we didn’t appreciate the long term impacts of our decisions. We owe it to future generations to plan better. Technology empowers us to answer the most pressing questions of the housing crisis with precision and foresight. By adopting these tools, we can ensure our decisions today deliver sustainable, thoughtful growth for years to come.

Let’s embrace a smarter approach to planning—one that prioritises collaboration, transparency, and a vision for a better future. Together, we can bring the housing we need to life, building not just homes but a legacy of responsible development.