Ministerial Guidelines on NPF Implementation (the Guidelines), were published in July 2025. 

The Guidelines relate to updated housing growth requirements to reflect the National Planning Framework (NPF)First Revision.  The Guidelines set out the housing demand scenario to 2040 for each local authority by translating the NPF requirements into estimated annual average figures, and require that local authorities take account of these. 

As a first step, planning authorities are required to assess the current City and County Development Plan core strategy and settlement strategy against the objective of the Guidelines.  This comprises a review of the adequacy of existing zoned lands to cater for housing growth requirement figures for the full duration of the Development Plan.  Having reviewed the adopted Development Plan, the Chief Executive is to prepare a report, setting out the capacity of zoned lands, and demonstrating the means by which it is proposed to secure the objectives of the Guidelines. 

The following report fulfils both of these requirements, and was approved at the Council meeting of 17th November 2025.