Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housebuilding in the capital has faced a range of challenges over recent years including high interest rates, spiralling construction costs, planning and regulatory complexity and wider economic conditions.

The government is therefore working with the Mayor of London to increase housing supply and accelerate delivery. Following consultations, the government and the Greater London Authority (GLA) confirmed a package providing targeted, time-limited support for housebuilders to improve the viability of schemes and get quicker approvals on new housing schemes across every borough. This includes the GLA’s fast-tracked planning process for sites with at least 20 per cent affordable housing, removal of design guidance that constrains density, an expansion of the Mayor’s planning powers, and temporary, partial relief from development levies for schemes able to start promptly and guarantee affordable homes for Londoners.

The package sits alongside the government’s wider reforms to the planning system, significant funding for social and affordable homes and the announcement of New Towns to drive regional growth.

The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost to the department.

The government is committed to a brownfield first approach, in which local authorities are expected to make as much use as possible of suitable brownfield land in sustainable locations. However, we know that in some places brownfield alone will not always be enough to meet development needs. This is why we are asking local authorities who cannot meet their needs to review their Green Belt to identify opportunities to create affordable, well-designed development in sustainable locations. In doing so, we expect local authorities to prioritise the development of brownfield and other low-quality grey belt land.

Where Green Belt land has to be released for major housing development, we have put in place new golden rules to ensure that development delivers higher levels of affordable housing; the provision of new – or improvements to – existing green spaces that are accessible to the public; and the making of necessary improvements to local or national infrastructure.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to controlling development in the Green Belt. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) does not currently collect data that would enable an assessment of changes in enforcement activity against landlords at local authority level over the last five years. From April 2027 we intend to require local authorities to provide MHCLG with a suite of data on the private rented sector in their local area. We expect that data to include, for example, the number of formal enforcement notices issued; the number of civil penalties issued by category of offence; revenue received from civil penalties; total number of staff in private rented sector enforcement teams; and total spend on private rented sector enforcement.

Through the Renters’ Rights Act, the government is strengthening local authorities’ enforcement powers and extending and increasing ring-fenced civil penalties to support a ‘polluter pays’ approach to enforcement in the private rented sector.

In accordance with the new burdens doctrine, we will ensure additional net costs on local authorities resulting from the Act are fully funded. To that end, the Department is providing £41.12 million to local housing authorities for this financial year to help them undertake their new enforcement responsibilities. This funding is in addition to the £18.2 million provided in 2025/26.

Our intention is to use fees from the Private Rented Sector Database to provide funding over the long term for local authorities to use on work to improve compliance in the private rented sector.

My Department collects data on income and rent for households via the English Housing Survey and regularly reports on income in relation to housing costs. The latest published data can be found in the 2024-25 Headline Report Annex Table 2.5. and the 2023-24 Rented Sectors Report Annex Table 1.11.

Data for older years is also available at English Housing Survey - GOV.UK

The Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) is a statutory obligation that applies across the public sector. As a procedural duty to have "due regard" to equality considerations, compliance is an on-going responsibility rather than a one-off task. It is integrated into the day-to-day development and delivery of all policies and services; as such, it is a core responsibility of all civil servants across government, rather than being restricted to dedicated personnel.

Because it is a continuous, procedural duty applicable to all civil servants, it is impossible to disaggregate the specific fraction of time or cost dedicated solely to Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) compliance versus general policy and operational work. Attempting to calculate an FTE or cost figure would incur disproportionate cost and still be highly inaccurate.

Most MHCLG-sponsored NDPBs and HM Land Registry are independent public authorities responsible for their own compliance with statutory duties, including the Public Sector Equality Duty. Executive Agencies such as the Planning Inspectorate and QEII Centre operate under different governance arrangements, although they are also required to comply with applicable equality legislation. Information regarding ALBs’ internal resource allocation in relation to the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) is not held by MHCLG.

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer given to Question UIN HL7342 on 21 May 2025. Furthermore, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that planning policies and decisions should prevent new and existing development from contributing to, being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by unacceptable levels of water pollution or land instability.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on a new NPPF, including proposals in a new standalone chapter dedicated to managing flood risk and coastal change, as well as proposals relating to pollution. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

My Department has not made a specific assessment of the number of homes that could be delivered on lower-quality Green Belt land without affecting nationally significant environmental assets , and has not made a specific assessment about the development of such land and the consequences for young people buying a home.

Safeguards for protected areas in the National Planning Policy Framework continue to apply to development on land released from the Green Belt, as do its wider policies on conserving biodiversity and recognising the wider benefits from natural capital and ecosystem services.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to controlling development in the Green Belt. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

This government is supporting people into home ownership, including through the shared ownership scheme and the Lifetime ISA, and is consulting on a new first-time buyer ISA product. First time buyers also benefit from paying no Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) up to £300,000 and are able to claim relief on purchases up to £500,000. The government has also introduced a new, permanent Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, available to support and sustain availability of low deposit mortgage products for prospective buyers. Additionally, the Bank of England has been easing the loan-to-income limit, enabling up to 36,000 additional first-time buyers in the first year. The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) ongoing review of the mortgage market means many buyers can now borrow 10% more towards a property purchase.

Local planning authorities have a wide range of planning enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, available to them.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to strengthening the policy on intentional unauthorised development. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

The government is committed to boosting the supply of homes of all tenures as part of its commitment to build 1.5m safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.

We are supporting the housing sector to deliver these with our major planning reforms, through our new £16bn National Housing Bank to deliver 500k homes and £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme to get the homes families and communities need built

The revised National Planning Policy Framework includes policies designed promote mixed tenure development. The type of housing delivered, and those delivering it, will vary depending on the needs of a local area and how development has been planned for. It is for local planning authorities, to assess the housing need of their communities. This should be informed by a local housing need assessment, conducted using the government’s revised standard method.

304,165 new affordable homes were delivered between April 2020 and March 2025. The government has not set an affordable housing target to date, but we are committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

National planning policy makes clear that it is for local planning authorities to assess the affordable housing need of their areas, including the need for social rent, and set policies to meet this local need. This includes setting out the proportion and type of affordable housing that should be delivered on new development.

Our new 10-year, £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme is the largest long-term investment in social and affordable housing in recent memory.

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given to Question HL1546 (attached) on 14 July 2026.

The Government does not routinely publish the details of individual respondents to calls for evidence.

Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a priority for this Government and a key commitment in the Government’s Plan for Change.

The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 already gives social landlords, the police and local authorities a range of powers and tools to tackle anti-social and criminal behaviour, which are deliberately broad in nature to enable flexibility and local discretion in their use.

The Government is further strengthening powers available to police and other agencies through the Crime and Policing Act. The introduction of Respect Orders, a preventative civil order to address sustained and/ or highly disruptive ASB, will give local agencies stronger enforcement capability to tackle the most relentless adult ASB offenders and will be able to prohibit a wide range of behaviours.

We are also increasing the upper limit for fixed penalty notices for breaches of Community Protection Notices and Public Space Protection Orders from £100 to £500, increasing the time a dispersal direction can be implemented for from 48 to 72 hours and giving registered social housing providers the power to issue closure notice.

I refer the noble Lord to the answer given on 16 July 2026 to Question UIN HL1654 (attached) on powers available to social housing landlords to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The police, local authorities and social landlords may already apply for a Civil Injunction under Section 1 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to prevent behaviour that is causing housing-related nuisance and annoyance.

Through our Crime and Policing Act, which achieved Royal Assent in April, we are making our streets and neighbourhoods safer by strengthening the powers available to the police and other agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour. Our new Respect Orders, which social landlords will be able to use where the ASB directly or indirectly relates to or affects its housing management functions, will give local agencies stronger enforcement capability to tackle the most relentless adult ASB offenders. Respect Orders will be in force from 26 October.

I refer the noble lady to the answer given on 17 July 2026 to Question HL1623 (attached).

Since 2022/23, Homes England has supported the delivery of 17,014 homes on land owned by the Agency.

I refer the noble lady to the answer given on 17 July 2026 to Question HL1623 (attached).

Since 2022/23, Homes England has supported the delivery of 17,014 homes on land owned by the Agency.

The consultation into the draft New Towns Programme closed earlier this year. The government continues to make progress with the programme and plans to publish our consultation response, and confirm the New Town locations, later this year.

The government remains committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament. Each new town will deliver at least 10,000 homes, with many expected to exceed that figure. The Taskforce recommended that new towns should aim for at least 40% affordable housing, with half for social rent.

The government is considering the Taskforce's recommendations and will respond in due course.

The consultation into the draft New Towns Programme closed earlier this year. The government continues to make progress with the programme and plans to publish our consultation response, and confirm the New Town locations, later this year.

The government remains committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament. Each new town will deliver at least 10,000 homes, with many expected to exceed that figure. The Taskforce recommended that new towns should aim for at least 40% affordable housing, with half for social rent.

The government is considering the Taskforce's recommendations and will respond in due course.

The consultation into the draft New Towns Programme closed earlier this year. The government continues to make progress with the programme and plans to publish our consultation response, and confirm the New Town locations, later this year.

The government remains committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament. Each new town will deliver at least 10,000 homes, with many expected to exceed that figure. The Taskforce recommended that new towns should aim for at least 40% affordable housing, with half for social rent.

The government is considering the Taskforce's recommendations and will respond in due course.

The consultation into the draft New Towns Programme closed earlier this year. The government continues to make progress with the programme and plans to publish our consultation response, and confirm the New Town locations, later this year.

The government remains committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament. Each new town will deliver at least 10,000 homes, with many expected to exceed that figure. The Taskforce recommended that new towns should aim for at least 40% affordable housing, with half for social rent.

The government is considering the Taskforce's recommendations and will respond in due course.

The consultation into the draft New Towns Programme closed earlier this year. The government continues to make progress with the programme and plans to publish our consultation response, and confirm the New Town locations, later this year.

The government remains committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament. Each new town will deliver at least 10,000 homes, with many expected to exceed that figure. The Taskforce recommended that new towns should aim for at least 40% affordable housing, with half for social rent.

The government is considering the Taskforce's recommendations and will respond in due course.

Due to the quasi-judicial role of Ministers in the planning system, I am unable to comment on specific planning cases. By law planning applications are determined in accordance with the local development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that plans should identify, map and safeguard the hierarchy of international, national and locally designated sites of importance for biodiversity. Furthermore, it sets out that planning policies and decisions should protect sites of biodiversity value in a manner commensurate with their statutory status or identified quality in the development plan.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on changes to the NPPF. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here (and attached), included proposals relating to protected sites. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

The Government has not adopted the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims Definition of Islamophobia, and has not issued guidance to organisations who have.

On the 9 March, the Government adopted a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility, informed by advice from an independent Working Group. An overview of the definition, including its coverage, scope and terminology, is published on GOV.UK (and attached).

The definition uses the terminology “anti-Muslim hostility”, which reflects the wider prejudice and discrimination Muslims face, and squarely focuses on Muslims as individuals rather than Islam as a religion. “Hostility” focuses on actions and conduct rather than simply the holding of beliefs.

The definition covers the different aspects of hostility Muslims face: criminal acts, discrimination on the basis of being Muslim or perceived to be Muslim, and also the way in which Muslims can be treated as a collective group defined by fixed and negative characteristics with the intention to encourage hatred against them.

The definition upholds our shared fundamental right to free speech, and the accompanying text in the definition publication underscores how lawful criticism, debate and even ridicule of all religions, including Islam, is safeguarded, as are raising concerns in the public interest. But hostility with the intention of encouraging hatred against others because they are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim is conduct government is committed to challenging.

The definition is non-statutory and does not change what is or is not a crime, nor does it equate anti-Muslim hostility with crime. Some actions set out in the definition would constitute criminal acts as well as being examples of anti-Muslim hostility, but the definition also sets out non-criminal conduct or behaviour which would constitute anti-Muslim hostility.

The Government has not adopted the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims Definition of Islamophobia, and has not issued guidance to organisations who have.

On the 9 March, the Government adopted a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility, informed by advice from an independent Working Group. An overview of the definition, including its coverage, scope and terminology, is published on GOV.UK (and attached).

The definition uses the terminology “anti-Muslim hostility”, which reflects the wider prejudice and discrimination Muslims face, and squarely focuses on Muslims as individuals rather than Islam as a religion. “Hostility” focuses on actions and conduct rather than simply the holding of beliefs.

The definition covers the different aspects of hostility Muslims face: criminal acts, discrimination on the basis of being Muslim or perceived to be Muslim, and also the way in which Muslims can be treated as a collective group defined by fixed and negative characteristics with the intention to encourage hatred against them.

The definition upholds our shared fundamental right to free speech, and the accompanying text in the definition publication underscores how lawful criticism, debate and even ridicule of all religions, including Islam, is safeguarded, as are raising concerns in the public interest. But hostility with the intention of encouraging hatred against others because they are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim is conduct government is committed to challenging.

The definition is non-statutory and does not change what is or is not a crime, nor does it equate anti-Muslim hostility with crime. Some actions set out in the definition would constitute criminal acts as well as being examples of anti-Muslim hostility, but the definition also sets out non-criminal conduct or behaviour which would constitute anti-Muslim hostility.

The Government has not adopted the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims Definition of Islamophobia, and has not issued guidance to organisations who have.

On the 9 March, the Government adopted a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility, informed by advice from an independent Working Group. An overview of the definition, including its coverage, scope and terminology, is published on GOV.UK (and attached).

The definition uses the terminology “anti-Muslim hostility”, which reflects the wider prejudice and discrimination Muslims face, and squarely focuses on Muslims as individuals rather than Islam as a religion. “Hostility” focuses on actions and conduct rather than simply the holding of beliefs.

The definition covers the different aspects of hostility Muslims face: criminal acts, discrimination on the basis of being Muslim or perceived to be Muslim, and also the way in which Muslims can be treated as a collective group defined by fixed and negative characteristics with the intention to encourage hatred against them.

The definition upholds our shared fundamental right to free speech, and the accompanying text in the definition publication underscores how lawful criticism, debate and even ridicule of all religions, including Islam, is safeguarded, as are raising concerns in the public interest. But hostility with the intention of encouraging hatred against others because they are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim is conduct government is committed to challenging.

The definition is non-statutory and does not change what is or is not a crime, nor does it equate anti-Muslim hostility with crime. Some actions set out in the definition would constitute criminal acts as well as being examples of anti-Muslim hostility, but the definition also sets out non-criminal conduct or behaviour which would constitute anti-Muslim hostility.

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced a new regime to improve the safety of higher-risk residential buildings, overseen by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). Dutyholders must report safety issues, maintain a golden thread of information, produce a safety case report, and engage residents.

Through the building assessment certificate process, the BSR assesses whether dutyholders are meeting their legal duties and taking reasonable steps to manage building safety risks. These measures provide independent oversight and support the ongoing management of building safety risks.

The Government considers that public sector testing and research capacity is an essential part of an effective building safety regime. In December 2025, the Government confirmed that it would take forward work to establish new public sector testing capacity to enable both enforcement testing and research testing to be performed. This will provide regulators and the Government with increased capacity and an authoritative voice on building safety.

The Government sought views on models for delivering this new capacity in the Construction Products Reform White Paper, published in February 2026.

We intend to publish the Government response to the White Paper consultation later this year.

The settlement of election claims depends on a range of factors, including the timing of claim submissions and the resolution of queries arising during the scrutiny process.

As of 15 July 2026, approximately 125 claims relating to the 2024 Police and Crime Commissioner elections and 600 claims relating to the 2024 UK Parliamentary General Election remain outstanding.

As set out previously, Returning Officers are not required to meet election costs upfront or wait until claims are settled before receiving funding. An advance payment, typically equivalent to 75% of the estimated cost of the poll, is issued ahead of the election.

The Department continues to work with Returning Officers to resolve outstanding queries and settle claims as promptly as possible.

Planning applications statistics make clear that there has been a small reduction in the percentage of homes in planning permissions that are on sites of between 10-49 homes, from 11% in 2022-23 to 10% in 2024-25.

The reasons for this marginal reduction are multifaceted, but an important factor is the fact that sites of this size are primarily built out by small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders who face challenges accessing finance and land and are disproportionately impacted by onerous regulatory burdens.

As a government we are clear that ramping up housing delivery requires us to diversify the housebuilding market. Integral to such diversification is not merely arresting but reversing the decline of SME housebuilders that has taken place over recent decades. That is why we have acted to support them by increasing their access to land, providing further financial assistance, and easing the burden of regulation.

My department has made no assessment of the use of artificially generated images in relation to the housing enforcement functions of local housing authorities.

The availability of insurance is determined on a case-by-case basis by insurers, but the Government engages with the industry on a regular basis through the Flood Resilience Taskforce.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on a new NPPF, including proposals in a new standalone chapter dedicated to managing flood risk and coastal change. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

My Department is aware of occasions where affordable housing schemes have been unable to proceed and where, as a result, Homes England has made use of clauses set out in the relevant grant agreement to reclaim grant that has already been paid and reinvest it back into affordable housing.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) also operates grant recovery arrangements for schemes funded through its Affordable Homes Programme. Where a funded scheme does not proceed, or where other circumstances arise that trigger recovery under the terms of the funding agreement, the GLA may recover grant and reinvest those funds in the delivery of affordable housing. The GLA's Affordable Housing Capital Funding Guide, which can be found here, contains specific rules set out regarding grant recovery where schemes cannot proceed.

Data on starts and completions at the Old Oak Opportunity area in West London are not centrally collected.

The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) is a Mayoral Development Corporation established by the Mayor of London to regenerate the Old Oak opportunity area.

My Department will continue to work with the Mayor and OPDC to deliver up to 9,000 new homes, as set out in the Old Oak Masterplan Framework, and ensure the best use of public sector land to bring forward new housing and regeneration.

The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2010 introduced a new Use Class, Class C4 (houses in multiple occupation). This covers use of a dwellinghouse by not more than six residents as a house in multiple occupation within the meaning of section 254 of the Housing Act 2004, excluding converted blocks of flats to which section 257 of that Act applies.

Houses in multiple occupation are not explicitly referenced in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published in December 2024.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on a new NPPF. The consultation on the revised framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals for a more flexible Article 4 policy so local planning authorities can remove permitted development rights where it is necessary to protect the amenity or wellbeing of an area, for instance where there is an overconcentration of small Houses in Multiple Occupation. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

The government has published no specific guidance in respect of planning applications to convert single dwellings into houses in multiple occupation.

My Department has made no such specific assessment.

Registered Providers can bid for grant funding for eligible developments through the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, including those on brownfield land.

My Department launched the National Housing Delivery Fund (NHDF) on 1 April 2026. The NHDF will provide c.£5 billion of capital grant funding for infrastructure and land from 2026 to 2030. This includes £1.3 billion allocated through the Integrated Settlement for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities (EMSAs) to support mayors to deliver more housing over the Spending Review period.

The government remains determined to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible in order to achieve our ambition of universal plan coverage and to ensure that plans contribute positively to increasing rates of housebuilding and infrastructure delivery. Local government reorganisation should not hinder the adoption of an up-to-date local plan.

National planning policy makes clear that local plans should be positively prepared and, as a minimum, seek to meet identified development needs. Local planning authorities are expected to do all they reasonably can to meet need, including working proactively with infrastructure providers (including water providers) to align growth and infrastructure provision. If needs cannot be met, the authority must clearly and robustly explain the reasons during the plan examination. The approach the authority has taken, including how it engaged with infrastructure providers, will be a key consideration for the independent Inspector in evaluating whether the local plan can be found ‘sound’.

Local planning authorities should consider whether otherwise unacceptable development could be made acceptable through the use of conditions or planning obligations. This could include the provision of infrastructure which is necessary to make a development acceptable in planning terms. Where it is in place, developers may also contribute towards infrastructure through the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Defra has established a Water Delivery Taskforce to ensure that water companies deliver on their planned investments to provide water and wastewater capacity. Water companies are under a statutory duty to provide new water and sewerage connections and must plan for future growth through their water resources and wastewater management plans. The water resources planning guideline published by the Environment Agency and Ofwat. Sets out how those companies should forecast demand for water based on existing customers and planned levels of household and non-household growth.

The government remains determined to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible in order to achieve our ambition of universal plan coverage and to ensure that plans contribute positively to increasing rates of housebuilding and infrastructure delivery. Local government reorganisation should not hinder the adoption of an up-to-date local plan.

National planning policy makes clear that local plans should be positively prepared and, as a minimum, seek to meet identified development needs. Local planning authorities are expected to do all they reasonably can to meet need, including working proactively with infrastructure providers (including water providers) to align growth and infrastructure provision. If needs cannot be met, the authority must clearly and robustly explain the reasons during the plan examination. The approach the authority has taken, including how it engaged with infrastructure providers, will be a key consideration for the independent Inspector in evaluating whether the local plan can be found ‘sound’.

Local planning authorities should consider whether otherwise unacceptable development could be made acceptable through the use of conditions or planning obligations. This could include the provision of infrastructure which is necessary to make a development acceptable in planning terms. Where it is in place, developers may also contribute towards infrastructure through the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Defra has established a Water Delivery Taskforce to ensure that water companies deliver on their planned investments to provide water and wastewater capacity. Water companies are under a statutory duty to provide new water and sewerage connections and must plan for future growth through their water resources and wastewater management plans. The water resources planning guideline published by the Environment Agency and Ofwat. Sets out how those companies should forecast demand for water based on existing customers and planned levels of household and non-household growth.

Information about contracts awarded by my Department that are valued above £12,000 (inc VAT) are published either on Contracts Finder, which can be found on gov.uk here, or Find a Tender, which can be found on gov.uk here. This includes information regarding contract value and awarded suppliers.

We do not hold information centrally in a format we are able to report on about opportunities that may have been bid for by specific suppliers but not awarded.

Edaroth have not bid for, nor received, funding from Homes England since July 2024.

AtkinsRéalis have bid and received funding from Homes England since July 2024.

My Department has made no such specific comparative assessment.

No costs for cladding remediation are payable by shared owners of leases which qualify for the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act 2022.

Any contributions towards non-cladding remediation costs are capped according to the size of the share of the property owned on 14 February 2022, irrespective of whether that share is later increased through staircasing, including up to 100%.

The standard method identifies a minimum annual housing need figure and ensures that plan-making is informed by an unconstrained assessment of the number of homes needed in an area. It does not produce a housing requirement figure. Once local housing need has been assessed, authorities should then make an assessment of the amount of new homes that can be provided in their area. This should be justified by evidence on land availability, constraints on development and any other relevant matters.

Local planning authorities with up-to-date plans are assessed against their adopted plan housing requirement for the purposes of the Housing Delivery Test (HDT) and five-year housing land supply (5YHLS). Where an authority does not have an up-to-date plan, local housing need (calculated using the standard method) is used.

The current HDT results are the 2023 measurement, published on 12 December 2024. These results continue to apply until a subsequent Housing Delivery Test measurement is published. We remain committed to publishing the 2024 and 2025 HDT results as soon as possible. The Department does not formally collect 5YHLS data. The 5YHLS position of any given authority is often in flux and typically determined through planning appeals. As such, there are challenges in capturing comprehensive and robust data at any given time.

My Department has made no specific assessment of the impact of the revised standard method published on 12 December 2024 on the number of speculative planning applications determined under the presumption in favour of sustainable development. While failing against either HDT or 5YHLS is a strong indicator of housing need in an area not being sufficiently met, it does not mean that planning permission for housing will be automatically granted, and local planning authorities must consider a range of factors when determining planning applications.

By law, planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

The National Planning Policy Framework must be taken into account in preparing the development plan, and is a material consideration in planning decisions.

By law, planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

The National Planning Policy Framework must be taken into account in preparing the development plan, and is a material consideration in planning decisions.

My Department has made no assessment of the potential impact of undefined planning restrictions on housing supply.

My Department publishes a release entitled ‘Land use change’ on previously developed (brownfield) land. Yearly data is available from 2013-14 to 2021-22 and can be found here.

My Department is working to update the land use statistics, which includes the new residential addresses release, to take advantage of new, more granular data from Ordnance Survey. Publication is expected to resume this year.