Mobile UK welcomes the publication of the Government’s new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), marking a decisive and hard-fought victory for the mobile sector. Following sustained advocacy to ensure mobile infrastructure is treated as an essential national priority, the updated framework directly reflects Mobile UK’s key recommendations. By explicitly acknowledging mobile connectivity as critical infrastructure essential to driving economic growth, regional productivity, and public services, this update delivers the strong policy foundation the industry has campaigned for.

Crucially, Mobile UK celebrates the inclusion of definitive language instructing decision-makers that “substantial weight should be given to the benefits of maintaining or improving coverage, capacity, reliability, and resilience.” This guidance is a necessary step forward. It equips local authorities and planners with a clear mandate to support mobile deployments, reducing costly planning delays and ensuring communities across the UK can access world-class 4G and 5G connectivity when and where they need it most.

However, while this planning update is a major milestone, planning policy is only one piece of the puzzle. To truly unlock the UK’s digital potential, the Government must now mobilise all actors across Whitehall, local government, and regulatory bodies. Crucial work remains: we urgently need comprehensive reform of Permitted Development Rights, a fair and balanced resolution to the rules around Notices to Quit on mobile sites, and swift, progressive outcomes from the Mobile Market Review. Now is the time to build on this momentum, remove the remaining barriers to deployment, and accelerate the rollout of the nationwide connectivity the country depends on.

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