Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether Platform4 is required to consider the need for future railway expansion on existing railway land before allocating land for commercial or housing development.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Network Rail are required to consider the need for future railway expansion on existing railway land before allocating land for commercial or housing development, under condition 17 of their network license (LC17). LC17 is an industry process, and most railway partners have the opportunity to respond to any current, future and integrated transport proposals.

Establishing Platform4 has not changed this process. Platform4 will continue to work with Network Rail on the LC17 process as part of their support to the development for major stations and regional schemes.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Minister of State for Housing and Planning on 24 November (HC Deb col 20), whether the call in process for sites capable of accommodating 150 or more housing units near railway stations will include railway stations in rural areas.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the Written Ministerial Statement published and attached on 18 November 2025 (HCWS1062)– noting the statement contains several discrete measures.

The Department intends to publish a consultation in due course which provides further detail on the announcement on a new Consultation Direction.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 24 November (HL Deb cols 1154-1155), whether all land around railway stations and capable of accommodating 150 or more housing units can be categorised as brownfield sites.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the noble Lady to the Written Ministerial Statement published and attached on 18 November 2025 (HCWS1062) – noting the statement contains several discrete measures.

It will be for planning decision-makers to determine whether land around train stations meets the definition of brownfield (previously developed land) as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 24 November (HL Deb col 1154), whether severely contaminated brownfield sites will not be developed due to the cost of remediation, and whether they plan for those sites to remain contaminated and derelict.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The National Planning Policy Framework states (attached) that planning policies and decisions should support appropriate opportunities to remediate derelict and contaminated land. It also states that where a site is affected by contamination, responsibility for securing a safe development rests with the developer and/or landowner. Planning Practice Guidance on viability (attached) recognises abnormal costs, including those associated with treatment for contaminated sites.

To unlock previously developed land for housing, the Government provides capital support to local authorities through the Brownfield Land Release Fund. The funding enables councils to undertake necessary remediation works, including decontamination.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the brownfield land register includes an assessment of the impact of the level of contamination on the viability of the land for development.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Town and Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017 require local planning authorities to prepare, maintain, and publish a Brownfield Register. When including land on the register, local planning authorities must consider that land is suitable, available, and achievable for residential development. This will involve assessing a range of factors and constraints including any known land contamination and viability issues.