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Written Question
Service Charges: Appeals
Monday 28th April 2025

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reasons she has yet to implement the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 on (a) providing a comprehensive rights of redress to homeowners on (i) private and (ii) mixed tenure estates and (b) the ability to appeal the reasonableness of those charges.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

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


Written Question
Leasehold: Reform
Monday 28th April 2025

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reasons she has yet to implement the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 on (a) providing freeholders with equivalent rights to leaseholders on estate charges transparency and (b) allowing leaseholders to takeover the management of their property.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

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


Written Question
Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024
Monday 28th April 2025

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to implement the secondary legislation enabling the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to fully come into force.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

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


Written Question
Housing: Older People
Tuesday 18th February 2025

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to respond to the independent report entitled Our Future Homes: Housing that promotes wellbeing and community for an ageing population, published on 26 November 2024.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations in the final report of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce.

We are committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market and we will continue to consider this issue as we develop our long-term housing strategy, which will be published later this year.


Written Question
Planning Permission: Agriculture
Friday 10th January 2025

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how the commitment to safeguard the Best and Most Versatile agricultural land will be applied to planning decisions called in by the Secretary of State .

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

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

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out how the best and most versatile agricultural land should be reflected in planning policies and decisions. We are maintaining the existing strong protection for the best and most versatile agricultural land. 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.

This will, where relevant, be a material consideration in planning decisions, including those made by the Secretary of State.


Written Question
Agriculture: Land
Tuesday 7th January 2025

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many hectares of the Best and Most Versatile agricultural land are (a) protected, (b) under consideration for development and (c) approved for consent in each (i) local authority area and (ii) constituency.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 17576 11 December 2024.


Written Question
Garden Communities: Sittingbourne
Monday 16th December 2024

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how safeguarding the Best and Most Versatile agricultural land will be taken into account when she considers the Highsted Park development.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Call-in decisions are inherently about process and not the merits of any given planning application.

I refer the hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 26 March 2019 (HCWS1452), and on 26 October 2012, columns 71WS-72WS.

All relevant matters relating to the Highsted Park development will now be considered via a public inquiry.


Written Question
Local Government: Planning Permission
Monday 16th December 2024

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what criteria she uses to call in planning applications before they are discussed by local councillors.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Call-in decisions are inherently about process and not the merits of any given planning application.

I refer the hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 26 March 2019 (HCWS1452), and on 26 October 2012, columns 71WS-72WS.

All relevant matters relating to the Highsted Park development will now be considered via a public inquiry.


Written Question
Garden Communities: Sittingbourne
Monday 16th December 2024

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason she called in Highsted Park outline planning applications 21/503906/EIOUT and 21/503914/EIOUT.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Call-in decisions are inherently about process and not the merits of any given planning application.

I refer the hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 26 March 2019 (HCWS1452), and on 26 October 2012, columns 71WS-72WS.

All relevant matters relating to the Highsted Park development will now be considered via a public inquiry.


Written Question
Agriculture: Land
Wednesday 11th December 2024

Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish how many hectares of the Best and Most Versatile agricultural land are (a) protected, (b) under consideration for development and (c) approved for consent in each (i) local authority area and (ii) constituency.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The information requested is not held by the Department.