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Written Question
Levelling Up Fund
Tuesday 14th March 2023

Asked by: Baroness Merron (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask His Majesty's Government which of the local authorities they have designated as priority category 1 have received funding from the Levelling Up Fund in either round 1 or round 2; and which ones have not.

Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

We have published a full list of priority categorisation for round 1 (attached) and round 2 (attached) of the Levelling Up Fund on gov.uk.

Along with this, we have also provided the list of successful applicants to the first (attached) and second rounds of the Fund.


Written Question
Recreation Spaces: Regional Planning and Development
Wednesday 16th March 2022

Asked by: Baroness Merron (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of (1) gardens, and (2) green spaces, in achieving their Levelling Up ambitions.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

The Levelling Up White Paper is clear that green infrastructure is a key component to levelling up, as so many levelling up goals are connected to green places that local people can be proud of. People’s lives are shaped by the social and physical fabric of their communities. The local mix of social and physical capital, which includes good quality green spaces, gives areas their unique character and vibrancy, and makes residents proud to live there.

A beautiful built environment, access to leisure and cultural amenities and safe neighbourhoods can also attract businesses to high streets, leading to increased footfall and private sector investment in communities. To make this a reality, communities must have strong civic institutions, assets and relationships that anchor local pride in place.

My department has set out in the National Planning Policy Framework that planning policies and decisions should take into account the desirability of maintaining an area’s prevailing character and setting, which can include preserving residential gardens.

My department is delivering the £9 million Levelling Up Parks Fund which provides direct grants to deliver over 100 green spaces in the communities with the lowest access to green space.

The Government also announced in the Levelling Up White Paper that we will invest a further £30 million to refurbish at least 30 parks in England, with an emphasis on providing facilities for young families.

Further details on these funds will be announced in due course.


Written Question
World Heritage Sites
Tuesday 13th July 2021

Asked by: Baroness Merron (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reported threat to Liverpool's UNESCO World Heritage Site status, what plans they have to (1) review, and (2) amend, relevant national planning guidance.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

The Government is committed to the protection of our historic environment, including our World Heritage Sites. As set out in the recent Planning White Paper, Planning for the Future , we consider that the existing heritage planning framework has worked well and we want to build on it as we develop the new planning system. In bringing forward our reforms we will work with those who have experience and expert knowledge of the planning system to ensure that our heritage is fully considered and continues to be protected going forward.