The British Property Federation (BPF) has welcomed calls from the National Trust, made as part of a 10-point list of demands, that the draft National Planning Policy Framework should adopt a more explicit requirement to develop brownfield land before greenfield sites.

However, the industry body is concerned that the National trust does not seem to regard local businesses as having a legitimate voice in neighbourhood planning. The BPF also believes that neighbourhoods should not be allowed to completely disregard the local need for new homes.

Commenting on the National Trust's "10 asks of the NPPF", published today, BPF Chief Executive Liz Peace said: "It is welcome that the National Trust have made some positive suggestions for ways in which the draft NPPF can be improved, and there are certainly ideas here that the property industry can support.


"We strongly agree that the new planning system should promote sustainable development that balances the needs of people, environment and businesses; we agree that town centres should be supported and we agree that it is right, where practical, to develop brownfield land first.

"However, the Trusts' insistence that businesses cannot be considered part of their communities is both inequitable and economically naive. Businesses should be just as entitled as residents to have a say in how their areas are developed and communities need jobs if they are not to wither and die – or become just dormitory settlements.

"We are also concerned at the suggestion that neighbourhoods should be able to thwart evidence based plans, developed by elected local authorities, to provide much-needed homes. This would exacerbate our housing shortage and deprive families and young people of somewhere to live, something that should be a basic human right."

(CD)