Why Paragraph 84 Homes Are Rising and How Early Technical Input is Now Critical to Success Doug Johnson, Founder and Director of building performance specialists Mesh looks at Paragraph 84 Planning Policy and what architects and planning consultants should consider to meet the requirements. Designing a new home in open countryside has always required compelling justification. Under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), Paragraph 84 is one of the few legitimate planning pathways for the creation of new homes on rural or Green Belt land. It is a stringent route – intentionally so – that demands both exceptional design quality and demonstrable sustainability and environmental considerations. The term ‘Paragraph 84′, is the latest iteration of the policy, which was first established in 1997 to set out how new homes can be built in open countryside. Setting a High Bar for Design Quality and Sustainability For architects and planning consultants, Paragraph 84 is an opportunity to create inspirational, landmark architecture. The requirements of the policy set a high bar for architects to achieve with their approach to design. But it is also a policy area where planning authorities demand robust technical evidence from the earliest design stages. These projects have to … Continue reading Paragraph 84: Why Demand Is Rising