As we approach the end of the first year of the Labour government, what have been the key focuses for the planning and development sector in the North East? Kayleigh Dixon, Director at DPP Planning in Newcastle, delves into the detail.
A revised version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published in December 2024 and included significant changes around Housing Need Assessment and Grey Belt and Green Belt Policy. This is ultimately aimed at boosting housing development following the announcement of the ambitious target of 1.5million new homes.
The increased emphasis on economic benefits in the decision-making process for residential schemes is a positive and it is gradually filtering through to our day to day planning role and is evident in recent appeal decisions, whereby economic benefits have been accorded higher levels of weight.
The first quarter of 2025 has seen further commitment by the government to restore economic stability and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill is central to this. An interesting element of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill is the introduction of Spatial Development Strategies. Having a Strategic Plan currently works well for Greater Manchester and London, but for areas like the North East, the announcement brings back memories of previous regional plans which some would argue did not work so well. The government has however, made it clear that they have learnt from previous experience of regional models being remote from local communities and that the focus will be on sub-regional models, which balance providing strategic direction with relevant geographies. This ties in with the themes contained in the English Devolution White Paper (December 2024), such as the concept of Strategic Authorities.
We are fortunate in the North East that we already have Strategic Authorities in place – the North East Combined Authority and the Tees Valley Combined Authority. Tees Valley have had an Economic Plan since 2016 and this has resulted in big economic ambitions already being realised. Add to that the recent launch of The Great North, bringing together regions spanning the Pennines, Yorkshire and Lancashire and up to the Scottish border, to drive investment across the region.
The North East Combined Authority published the Interim North East Local Growth Plan in March 2025 which recognises further growth opportunities in advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, life sciences, digital technologies and creative industries. It is really positive to see the North East being at the forefront of growth in these sectors and at DPP we are already seeing momentum in the North East market. For example, DPP has secured consent for the Blyth Energy Central Learning Campus ECLC which is a strategic partnership between Advance Northumberland and Energy Central Campus, a unique collaboration between the Port of Blyth, Northumberland County Council, and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult. As well as a new data centre at Aykley Heads for Durham University which will house a super-computer, data hall and offices and forms part of the aspirations for the wider Durham Innovation District (such as NETPark).
This year, DPP will be leading on a masterplan application for a 52ha employment-led site at West Hartford, Cramlington which has the potential to deliver a range of employment, industrial, renewable and other digital, creative and knowledge industries. This has already been backed by the North East Mayor Kim McGuinness as being a key part of the region’s economic growth strategy.
It is an exciting time for the North East, and whilst we have excellent foundations in place already, there remains a lot of hard work ahead. Continued investment in infrastructure as well as access to grant funding will be key. Works are ongoing to restore the Tyne Bridge and to improve parts of the A1 and the recent opening of the Ashington metro line has already been a positive step. We need to see greater investment in digital infrastructure as we move more towards technology and AI, along with delivery of the long awaited dualling of the A1 between Morpeth and Scotland.
We have lots of land available in the North East for economic growth and with the right investment, infrastructure and strategies in place, we can continue to secure anchor operators and retain talent in those specialist economic industries.