Policy sandbox

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Change anything and the assessment on the right updates immediately. Nothing is saved, and the address bar holds your scenario so you can send it to someone.

Start from an example

Edge-of-village paddock Redundant farm yard Field near a well-served station

Where does the site sit?

Green Belt takes precedence over everything else. The glossary excludes villages lying within and defined as part of the Green Belt from the meaning of settlement, so such a village is not a settlement for S4 purposes. A settlement also includes land already allocated or permitted that will form part of the built-up area once complete.

Wholly within a settlementPredominantly built-up area, including land allocated or permitted that will form part of it.Outside any settlementStraddles a settlement boundaryWithin the Green BeltVillage lying within the Green BeltExcluded from the meaning of settlement, so the S4 default yes is unavailable however built-up the frontage appears.Local Green Space

Land and buildings

Each tick opens a different limb. Claim every one the facts support: they are alternatives, not a hierarchy.

Previously developed landLawfully developed land with a permanent structure or substantial fixed hardstanding. Excludes gardens, parks, allotments and land last used by agricultural or forestry buildings.An existing lawful building of permanent and substantial constructionAllocated for housing in the development planReads as infilling within a group of housesNeither limited nor group of houses is defined, and both are read tightly at appeal.Isolated: outside any settlement or group of housesS5(3) removes isolated homes from the S5 list altogether, leaving HO11 as the only route. A significant answer: tick it only if the site is genuinely on its own.Residential garden, park or allotmentLast used by agricultural or forestry buildingsA redundant or disused building to be reusedWould substantially harm an allocation or safeguarding for another useS4(2)(a)(i). Distinct from being allocated for housing, which is a positive at S5(1)(i). Does not apply where there is no reasonable prospect of the allocated use coming forward.

What kind of housing is proposed?

Open market housingSelf-build or custom build plotsA single self-build dwellingAffordable-led, or a rural exception siteCommunity-led developmentOlder persons or specialist accommodationMixed use including residentialUnder a Community Right to Build Order or Neighbourhood Development Order

Scale of development

Major for housing is 10 or more homes, or a site of 0.5 hectares or more. Either limb is sufficient. Strategic is a defined term: phased, masterplanned, significant infrastructure.

Minor: under 10 homes and under 0.5 hectaresMajor: 10 or more homes, or 0.5 hectares or moreStrategic: phased, masterplanned, with significant infrastructure

Evidenced unmet need

S5(1)(j) is open wording: any evidenced unmet need can qualify. GB7(1)(g)(ii), through footnote 41, is closed: for housing it means only a five year supply shortfall including any buffer, or a Housing Delivery Test result below 75%. The same phrase, two different reaches.

No five year supply of deliverable housing sitesHousing Delivery Test result below 75%Evidenced unmet affordable housing needOther evidenced unmet need: older persons, specialist, rural or self-buildNeed is met on every measure

Is the site within reasonable walking distance of a station?

Reasonable walking distance is around 800 metres, or around 10 minutes' walk time where topography, route availability and quality, or physical barriers would prevent or discourage walking from up to 800 metres. Where only part of the site is within that distance, the station limbs and the density floor apply only to that part.

No station within reasonable walking distanceYes, the whole site is within 800 metresYes, but only part of the siteWithin a 10 minute walk, with barriers applying

Design quality

DP3 attaches weight to design quality generally, and is not confined to isolated sites. Separate from the HO11(1)(e) route.

Outstanding or innovative design, or high sustainability standardsWould improve the energy efficiency of an existing building, or draw on district heat, renewable or low carbon sources

Scheme quantum

Fills the major threshold and the density calculation. Net developable area excludes spine roads, attenuation and open space.

HomesSite area (ha)Net developable (ha)

Awaiting input

Start with question 1.

The gateway policy depends entirely on where the site sits.

Based on very little so far. Answer more and this gets sharper.

04Constraint screen

None engaged. Re-run once technical work is in: density and transport catch schemes late.

05Weight ledger

Only weights the Framework directs, at the strength the answers support.

Consideration	Policy	Weight
Any development plan policy materially inconsistent with this FrameworkcheckA prompt rather than a finding. Identify the specific policies and the specific inconsistency: the tool cannot read your development plan. Most restrictive rural housing policies now sit here.	Introduction / Annex A	Very limited

06Interpretation register

Undefined language this case would turn on.

“substantially outweighed”S4, S5, GB7: Undefined, and the whole balance turns on it. Materially higher than the old significantly and demonstrably formulation, with nothing in the Framework saying how much higher.
“very limited weight”Introduction / Annex A: What a materially inconsistent development plan policy now gets. Not zero, and the quantum is for the decision-maker case by case, which is where most restrictive rural housing policies now sit.

Assessed against the National Planning Policy Framework (2026), published 17 August 2026, using ruleset 1.0.0 and interpretation revision 2026-08-18.

This is a sandbox, not an assessment

Everything above comes from the answers on the left. It has not looked at a map, a local plan, or the planning history of any particular site. If you have a real piece of land, the assessment starts from its boundary instead, and fills in what it can from the data.

Assess an actual site