Sevenoaks Town Council shares its concerns over permanent tilted balance proposed in revised NPPF.
Published: 03 March 2026
Sevenoaks Town Council has urged any residents who have not already reviewed Central Government’s proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework to do so before the comment deadline on 10th March 2026.
Although a significant consultation with over 200 questions, the Town Council emphasised the importance of engaging with the material – raising particular attention to the proposed introduction of a permanent presumption in favour of sustainable development – otherwise known as the tilted balance.
In its response to question 36, which seeks views on the revised approach, Sevenoaks Town Council resolved at its Planning & Environment Committee meeting last night [2nd March 2026] to submit the following:
“[…] While the Town Council is in agreement that development should be prioritised in the first instance in brownfield sites in existing settlements, pursuing this via a permanent presumption in favour of sustainable development – otherwise, a tilted balance – could risk having a negative impact on design, character and culture as well as local democracy. There must be limitations to the tilted balance to ensure that sustainably located development not allocated within the plan is still plan-led, responsive to the local area and not in conflict with the existing landscape and character.
Sevenoaks Town Council is of the opinion that – given the considerable amount of time, work and funding required of a Local Planning Authority to update and successfully make their Local Plan – District or Borough Councils should be entitled to benefit from the protection that this affords it from speculative, and often inappropriate, development. Local Planning Authorities and their residents have been tasked with a not insignificant challenge to meet substantially increased housing targets while finely balancing the impact to existing residents, the local environment, heritage, character, green spaces and open countryside, and struggling existing infrastructure. As such, higher housing densities and building heights are having to be explored in the more sustainable locations, in favour of releasing essential Green Belt land – to the great and understandable distress of local people. Sevenoaks Town Council appreciates that this is a difficult but necessary balance to reach, in order to negate the tilted balance and avoid housing being proposed in even less publicly-supported locations, densities and building heights, and the loss of protection from this is therefore considered inappropriate. […]”
What is the tilted balance?
The presumption in favour of sustainable development “tilts” the balance afforded in the decision process in favour of granting planning permission, unless the harms outweigh the benefits or specific protections apply. Particularly within urban locations, it reduces the material weight of local planning policies, including those which protect local character, amenity, privacy and light, affordable housing provision and more – in favour of providing houses, jobs and regeneration.
Sevenoaks Town Council’s concern is that Sevenoaks Town, as part of the Principal Town in the District, will continue to be impacted by the tilted balance and remain vulnerable to speculative developments of unsuitable heights, densities, massing, amenity impact, and Green / Grey Belt – whether its housing targets are met by up-to-date Local Plan housing allocations or not.
The Town Council welcomed, however, the proposal to strengthen the recognition of Neighbourhood Development Plans, which can set out policies for local priorities to guide future development.
If you have any queries, please contact:
Georgie Elliston – planning@sevenoakstown.gov.uk
03/03/2026