Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

A further call-in request was received from Innovate UK on 16 October 2024, after the planning application had been called in on 14 October 2024.

We do not routinely publish planning representations seeking call in of applications.

The government has not made an assessment of the potential implications of the Institute for Public Policy Research’s report in question.

The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of homeownership. This government is determined to change that, ensuring that young families and hardworking renters can buy a home of their own.

Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to improve housing affordability which is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.

In addition to increasing the supply of homes of all tenures, we are committed to introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme, to support first-time buyers, including those in South Holland and the Deepings constituency and Lincolnshire, who struggle to save for a large deposit, with lower mortgage costs.

Three devolution agreements were implemented across 2024-25 in the North East; York and North Yorkshire; and East Midlands. Full details of the funding allocated to each area can be found in their individual devolution deals, published on gov.uk. Funding specifically allocated in the months of May 24 and March 25 from MHCLG is listed in the table below.

The most recent data collected by the department regarding budgeted spending on refugees and asylum seekers by local government in England is from 2024-25 and can be found here. The relevant lines are: RA326 Children's social care – Asylum seekers; and RA349 Social support – Asylum seeker support.

The most recent data collected by the department regarding outturn spending on refugees and asylum seekers by local government in England is from 2023-24 and can be found here. The relevant lines are: RO3 Line 18 Children looked after – asylum seeking children who are looked after; RO3 Line 26 Children’s social care – Asylum Seekers; and RO3 Line 49 Social support – Asylum seeker support.

The most recent data collected by the department regarding budgeted spending on refugees and asylum seekers by local government in England is from 2024-25 and can be found here. The relevant lines are: RA326 Children's social care – Asylum seekers; and RA349 Social support – Asylum seeker support.

The most recent data collected by the department regarding outturn spending on refugees and asylum seekers by local government in England is from 2023-24 and can be found here. The relevant lines are: RO3 Line 18 Children looked after – asylum seeking children who are looked after; RO3 Line 26 Children’s social care – Asylum Seekers; and RO3 Line 49 Social support – Asylum seeker support.

For Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Authority, the final Settlement makes available a total of up to £74.9 million in 2025-26, representing an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £2.4 million.

The government will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure Fire and Rescue services have the resources they need to protect communities. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each fire and rescue authority.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).

As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. Sustainable development should be pursued both through the preparation and implementation of local development plans, and the application of policies in the framework.

The government is clear that housing must come with appropriate infrastructure, including appropriate water infrastructure. We believe that strategic issues such as water capacity are best dealt with at a strategic level through the plan-making process, rather than through individual planning applications.

A key function of local development plans is to guide development to the most suitable and sustainable locations and to ensure that the associated infrastructure requirements are addressed. Effective co-operation early in the plan-making process is essential to ensuring not only that housing and infrastructure need is appropriately planned for, but that they are aligned with each other. The NPPF makes it clear that local planning authorities should collaborate with each other and with other public bodies, including infrastructure providers, to identify relevant strategic matters to be addressed, including providing for sustainable water supplies.

Water companies are under a statutory duty to provide new water and sewerage connections to residential properties, as well as planning to meet the needs of growth as part of water resource management plans, and drainage and wastewater management plans. The water resources planning guidance published by the government set out how those companies should forecast demand for water based on existing customers and planned levels of household and non-household growth, with the number of planned developments being based on published local plans.

Relevant planning practice guidance sets out that good design and mitigation measures should be secured during development, both through site-specific and non-site-specific policies on water infrastructure. The revised NPPF published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that developments of all sizes should use sustainable drainage techniques when the development could have drainage impacts and should have appropriate maintenance arrangements in place. We continue to explore whether more needs to be done to ensure sustainable drainage technologies are taken up more widely in new development, either through planning policy or by commencing schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, and a decision on the best way forward will be made in the coming months.

Ensuring that we take a strategic spatial planning approach to the management of water, including tackling pollution and managing pressures on the water environment at a catchment, regional and national scale, is a core objective of the ongoing independent review into the regulatory system of the water sector, launched in October 2024 by the UK and Welsh Governments. The review is expected to report next year, and we will carefully consider its findings.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).

Homelessness levels are far too high and this can have a devastating impact on those affected, including young people. We will look at these issues carefully and will consider youth homelessness as we develop our long-term, cross-government strategy working with Mayors and councils across the country, to get us back on track to ending homelessness.

As announced at the Budget in October, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25). This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26.

The £200 million Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP) is delivering up to 2,000 homes and accompanying support services for people with long or cyclical histories of sleeping rough.  Of these, up to 650 homes will be specifically for young people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough, alongside accompanying support services.

Local authorities are expected to have regard to the homelessness code of guidance when exercising their functions relating to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, which includes young people.

Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected.

We must address this and deliver long term solutions. The Government is looking at these issues carefully and will develop a new cross government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to get us back on track to ending homelessness.

We are already taking the first steps to get back on track to ending homelessness. As announced at the Budget, grant funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (FY2024-25). This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025-26.

More widely, we are taking action to tackle the root causes of homelessness, including delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and building 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament. We are also Abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, preventing private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empowering people to challenge unreasonable rent increases.

Homelessness legislation is a devolved matter in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

MHCLG is always keen to learn from other countries’ approaches. Ministers and officials engage regularly with their counterparts in the devolved administrations to discuss a range of issues, including tackling homelessness.

Planning fees in England are set by the Secretary of State. Local planning authorities cannot charge a fee for listed building consent applications.

Under the government’s proposals for localised fee setting in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, government may continue to prescribe where a fee should not be charged for a particular type of application.

The government intends to consult on the details of localised fee setting later this year.

Our Homelessness Code of Guidance provides a summary of the homelessness legislation duties, powers and obligations on local housing authorities, including the quality standards of temporary accommodation.

Legislation is clear that temporary accommodation must be suitable for the needs of the household and that suitability of accommodation should be kept under review. Households may ask for a review of their accommodation if they feel it is unsuitable.

The Government will consult this year on a reformed Decent Homes Standard for the social and private rented sectors. It is the government’s intention that the Decent Homes Standard should apply to as much of the temporary accommodation sector as possible. We will consult on the detail of the new standard in due course.

The government will consult this year on a reformed Decent Homes Standard for the social and private rented sectors.

All homes delivered through the Local Authority Housing Fund must be affordable/low-cost. It is up to local planning authorities to determine the precise rent level and tenure of homes delivered in line with the scheme objectives. This could include social rent, affordable rent, or a temporary accommodation rent.

Like all other departmental expenditure, Town Deal programme allocations are broken down by financial year (FY) rather than by calendar year. The forecast allocation for future financial years is subject to change due to the way that Town Deal payments are determined, however we do not expect this shift to be significant. Please see financial year allocations covering the scope of your query set out below.

MHCLG has already taken a number of steps to deliver climate resilient homes, including:

Revising the National Planning Policy Framework (published on 12 December 2024) to set out that the planning system should take full account of all climate impacts, including overheating, storm and flood risk. Planning should help to shape places in a way that minimises vulnerability and improves resilience to the effects of climate change though suitable adaptation measures, including through incorporating green infrastructure and sustainable drainagesystems.

Building regulations are intended to protect people’s safety, health and welfare through setting a minimum acceptable standard for the design and construction of properties. Introducing Part O of the Building Regulations, which came into force in June 2022, to require that new homes are built to mitigate the risk of overheating. Whilst Approved Document C promotes the use of flood resilient and resistant construction in flood prone areas.

Full details of Homes England’s expenditure will be published in the annual report and accounts in due course.

The Long-Term Plan for Towns programme was launched during the previous administration. It was an unfunded commitment for which the previous administration had no funded plan as to how that promise would be delivered. All 75 towns across the UK that were originally selected to receive Long-Term Plan for Towns funding will receive the Plan for Neighbourhoods package. We are making good on those commitments, giving each of the 75 places the certainty that they will receive up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade.

There are no plans to expand the programme at this time, this would be a decision for the upcoming Spending Review.

The Plan for Neighbourhoods represents a break from the competitive bidding process and micromanaging of previous regeneration funds.

The Long-Term Plan for Towns programme was launched during the previous administration. It was an unfunded commitment for which the previous administration had no funded plan as to how that promise would be delivered. All 75 towns across the UK that were originally selected to receive Long-Term Plan for Towns funding will receive the Plan for Neighbourhoods package. We are making good on those commitments, giving each of the 75 places the certainty that they will receive up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade.

There are no plans to expand the programme at this time, this would be a decision for the upcoming Spending Review.

The Plan for Neighbourhoods represents a break from the competitive bidding process and micromanaging of previous regeneration funds.

Numbers of major and minor residential applications granted permission each quarter for each local planning authority are available here. As more than one planning application is often associated with a single residential development, the published figures should not be regarded as numbers of residential developments granted permission.

Figures are not collected at parliamentary constituency level.

The Department does not collect or publish numbers of completed major housing developments.

Numbers of major and minor residential applications granted permission each quarter for each local planning authority are available here. As more than one planning application is often associated with a single residential development, the published figures should not be regarded as numbers of residential developments granted permission.

Figures are not collected at parliamentary constituency level.

The Department does not collect or publish numbers of completed major housing developments.

The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production.

We are maintaining the existing strong protection for the best and most versatile agricultural land.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out how the best and most versatile agricultural land should be reflected in planning policies and decisions. The Framework is clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.

The definition of a dwelling is published on gov.uk here under “Dwelling (Housing supply; net additional dwellings)”.

The conversion of an existing residential property into a house of multiple occupancy does not count as a net additional dwelling in the official statistics on housing supply or dwelling stock estimates.

The definition of a dwelling is published on gov.uk here under “Dwelling (Housing supply; net additional dwellings)”.

The conversion of an existing residential property into a house of multiple occupancy does not count as a net additional dwelling in the official statistics on housing supply or dwelling stock estimates.

The definition of a dwelling is published on gov.uk here under “Dwelling (Housing supply; net additional dwellings)”.

The conversion of an existing residential property into a house of multiple occupancy does not count as a net additional dwelling in the official statistics on housing supply or dwelling stock estimates.

The £51.5 million package announced on 13 February 2025 is additional to the funding outlined at the Autumn Budget 2024.

My Department is working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to ensure necessary water infrastructure is in place to support the housing the country needs.

If there are firm infrastructure plans in place, our planning practice guidance is clear that local planning authorities can grant planning permission with Grampian conditions linked to those plans to help developers bring forward the development.

Strategic planning for water infrastructure is being considered as part of the independent commission on the water sector regulatory system, as announced by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 October 2024.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 November 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

The government has also announced the £450m third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund, followed by an uplift of £50m, enabling councils to grow their housing stock.

We also confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts. Having reduced Right to Buy discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels, we have allowed councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales.

The government recognise that Registered Providers need support to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply. Between 30 October 2024 and 23 December 2024, the government consulted on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement, to give Registered Providers the certainty they need to invest in new social and affordable housing.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a number of changes that make the planning system more supportive of affordable housing, in particular Social Rent homes. These include new Golden Rules for development on the Green Belt. Prior to development plan policies for affordable housing being updated in accordance with the revised NPPF, the affordable housing contribution required to satisfy the ‘Golden Rules’ is 15 percentage points above the highest existing affordable housing requirement that would otherwise apply to the development, subject to a cap of 50%. We estimate that under this model, the median Green Belt local planning authority affordable housing requirement will be 50%.

The Government already intend to amend building regulations later this year as part of the introduction of future standards that will set more ambitious energy efficiency and carbon emissions requirements for new homes. The new standards will ensure that all new homes are future-proof, with low-carbon heating and very high-quality building fabric. Not only will they help us to deliver our commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, but they will reduce bills, tackle fuel poverty, grow skills, foster diverse job markets and make Britain energy secure.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 November 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

The government has also announced the £450m third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund, followed by an uplift of £50m, enabling councils to grow their housing stock.

We also confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts. Having reduced Right to Buy discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels, we have allowed councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales.

The government recognise that Registered Providers need support to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply. Between 30 October 2024 and 23 December 2024, the government consulted on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement, to give Registered Providers the certainty they need to invest in new social and affordable housing.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a number of changes that make the planning system more supportive of affordable housing, in particular Social Rent homes. These include new Golden Rules for development on the Green Belt. Prior to development plan policies for affordable housing being updated in accordance with the revised NPPF, the affordable housing contribution required to satisfy the ‘Golden Rules’ is 15 percentage points above the highest existing affordable housing requirement that would otherwise apply to the development, subject to a cap of 50%. We estimate that under this model, the median Green Belt local planning authority affordable housing requirement will be 50%.

Since July 2024, 13 Development Consent Orders (DCOs) have been determined by the government. The number of land transactions relating to compulsory purchase will depend on the relevant DCOs, the relevant agreement between parties, and the extent of powers granted that was necessary for the project. The number of transactions may also change over the lifetime of a project. This information is not collected by the government.

HM Land Registry (HMLR) requires that the registration number of a company is supplied when a UK company is being registered. Company registration numbers are recorded in the proprietorship entry of the title register.

Copies of title registers are normally available from HMLR’s Search for land and property information page on gov.uk here.

HMLR publishes information about registered land and property in England and Wales owned by UK companies on gov.uk here.

In 2024-25, the Levelling Up Fund received £797 million in Capital DEL funding. Additionally, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government allocated £20 million in Resource DEL funding for the same period. These allocations were consistent for both May 2024 and March 2025.

The Long-Term Plan for Towns programme was launched in 55 towns in September 2023 by the previous administration and expanded to an additional 20 places in March 2024, as confirmed in paragraph 5.410 of the Spring Budget 2024.

This programme was an unfunded commitment for which the previous administration had no plan as to how that promise would be delivered.

All 75 towns across the UK that were originally selected to receive Long-Term Plan for Towns funding will receive the funding under the Plan for Neighbourhoods package, the funding for which was announced at Autumn Budget 2024, and further policy detail published on 4 March. We are making good on those commitments, giving each of the 75 places the certainty that they will receive up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade.

The Long-Term Plan for Towns: Technical Q&A, published 28 March 2024, outlined that the total funding and support offered to local authorities would be up to £20 million. The Plan for Neighbourhoods prospectus, published 4 March, outlines that the total funding and support offered to local authorities will be up to £20 million.

The Government is fully committed to revitalising our high streets and supporting businesses to make our towns and cities, including Gloucester, successful. High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) are supported by a fund of over £1 million, a new burdens payment and a suite of detailed guidance and practical templates to support implementation. My department are working closely with 11 local authority early adopters, who will be amongst the first to deliver, and will help shape future guidance and champion these powers.

The Future High Streets Fund was originally intended to run up until the end of financial year 23/24. In August 2023 MHCLG was granted approval from the HM Treasury to extend the Future High Streets Fund and rollover any remaining payments into financial year 24/25. The below allocation was forecast in March 2024 under the previous government based on remaining payments due. This has now been paid in full.

Under the Third National Adaptation Plan, MHCLG has shared responsibility with Defra and DESNZ for addressing risks to buildings from extreme heat and flooding.

On overheating, MHCLG introduced Part O of the Building Regulations in 2021, which requires that new buildings are built to mitigate the risk of overheating. Part O came into force in June 2022.

On flooding, statutory guidance to the Building Regulations in Approved Document C, already promotes the use of flood resilient and resistant construction in flood prone areas.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 also sets out that the planning system should take full account of all climate impacts, including overheating, storm and flood risk. Planning should help to ensure that development minimises vulnerability and improves resilience to the effects of climate change.

The government annually publishes data on properties liable for business rates and intends to publish the next set of data in June. The current data does not show a trend of second homes switching to business rates however the government will continue to monitor this.

This government has maintained the previous government’s position that a property must meet a minimum lettings threshold before being assessed as a short-term let for business rates purposes. Where a property does not meet these criteria, it would usually be liable for council tax. The government will keep this policy under review.

Town and parish councils are the first tier of local government and play a crucial role in community engagement and provide key local services.

The English Devolution White Paper emphasises the value of governance on a community scale and that the government wants to see stronger community arrangements during reorganisation, enhancing how councils engage at a neighbourhood level. At present, there are no plans to publish specific guidance for parish and town councils on how to engage with the Department on shaping their role in local government devolution.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets clear expectations on when development should comply with the Golden Rules.

Ahead of further updates, the relevant planning practice guidance on viability also makes clear that, where development takes place on land situated in, or released from, the Green Belt and is subject to the Golden Rules, site-specific viability assessment should not be undertaken or taken into account for the purpose of reducing developer contributions, including affordable housing and appropriate infrastructure.

As set out in the Framework and supporting guidance, local authorities should, where appropriate, consider the use of conditions or planning obligations. Authorities may take enforcement action against the breach of planning obligations contained in a section 106 agreement. Through our wider reforms to planning fees, including the relevant provisions in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, local planning authorities will be better resourced to deliver their responsibilities, including enforcement activities where relevant.

The government is clear that the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will not lead to a reduction in environmental protections.

The Secretary of State, when considering a policy decision to make an Environmental Delivery Plan for an area, will have due regard to the policy statement on environmental principles.

£7.6 million will be made available in the form of local government reorganisation proposal development contributions, to be split across the 21 two-tier local government areas which the government has invited proposals from. This is the first time that capacity funding has been made available for reorganisation proposals, recognising the priority that this government attaches to this. Further information will be provided on how this will be allocated and we intend to make payments as soon as possible.

The Terms of Reference and full membership of the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working group have now been published on GOV.UK. I will deposit a copy of the Terms of Reference in the House Libraries.