The importance of food production and the rural economy must be fully recognised in the new National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF), according to the National Farmers' Union (NFU).

The coalition government intends to revoke all existing national planning policy statements and guidance and replace it with one simple short document.

Last December the minister in charge of decentralisation, Greg Clarke, invited organisations and individuals to offer their suggestions to the department on what priorities and policies should be adopted to produce a shorter, more decentralised and less bureaucratic national planning policy framework.

NFU planning policy adviser Ivan Moss has been involved in a number of roundtable meetings to discuss with civil servants drafting the NPPF what should be included.

“There is a benefit in consolidating government planning guidance into one document. The government has made it clear it wants a very short document which just sets out the government’s key priorities,” said Moss.

“The key challenge for farming is to ensure the importance of food production and the rural economy is fully recognised in the document and that it is not a policy with solely an urban focus. It will be essential that it is a positive document that local authorities must take into account in preparing their development plans and determining planning applications,” he added.

The NFU has submitted a paper setting out the key priorities which include recognising rural viewpoints in sustainable development debates; to ensure planning considers the rural economy's role in economic recovery and campaining for development that promotes food production and renewable energy.