National Planning Policy Framework publication imminent

The controversial NPPF is the Government's new planning policy which aims to reform, streamline and clarify the planning system to make it more accessible to the public. The final version is expected to be published alongside the Chancellor's budget, which is due at 12.30pm tomorrow.

The reforms aim to summarise 1300 pages of current planning policy into around 58 pages.

The draft NPPF was published in July last year and has been the subject of public consultation and extensive scrutiny by Parliament's Local Government and Communities Select Committee.

It has been the subject of criticism from environmental campaigners who have claimed that the combination of 'a presumption in favour of sustainable development' and the lack of a 'brownfield first' rule will lead to unplanned and sprawling development across greenbelt land.

The NPPF's presumption in favour of sustainable development suggests that in some instances the default response should be 'yes' to a request to grant planning permission. Campaigners have also argued that more should be done to ensure brownfield land is built on first.

"I am determined that we shake up our planning rules," said Osborne, speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

The Government had previously committed to publishing the final version of the NPPF by the end of March.

"On Budget week we will be publishing new planning rules which I think will make it a lot easier for things to get built in this country while protecting our most precious environments," said Osborne. "[It is] deeply frustrating that the planning rules hold back economic development in Britain."