Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the findings were of the Midlands Pilot of the Voluntary Right to Buy Scheme; and whether there is a timeline for the full implementation of that scheme.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Midlands Voluntary Right to Buy Pilot was subject to a full independent evaluation, the findings of which were published in February 2020. The pilot's evaluation confirmed the scheme fulfilled its goal of testing the 'portable discount', presented good value for money, and successfully enabled over 1,800 people to own their own homes. The evaluation also highlighted some of the challenges in the pilot's administration. The final pilot sales will conclude this calendar year.
The full independent evaluation of the Midlands Pilot of the Voluntary Right to Buy is available on www.gov.uk. We are currently reviewing the findings, which will be used to inform future policy and decisions on further implementation.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many extant planning permissions there are which permit the construction of fracking sites.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government does not collect data at this level of detail. We do collect statistics on applications for oil and gas development but without distinguishing the method (such as hydraulic fracturing) by which the oil or gas is extracted from the ground. The data is publicly available and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-planning-application-statistics.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made on improving the home buying and selling process since his Department's consultation on that topic closed in December 2017.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We have worked with industry on a range of measures to make the process quicker, cheaper and less stressful. For example, we published "how to " guides to lead consumers through the process, ensured estate agent referral fees are transparent, set an 10 day turnaround for searches and started work to test reservation agreements which will increase commitment between buyers and sellers.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to publish updated guidance on Traveller accommodation needs assessments following the withdrawal of the 2007 guidance in 2016.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
In March 2016 the Government published draft guidance to local housing authorities on the periodical review of housing needs for people living in caravans and houseboats, in relation to the duty under section 8 of the Housing Act 1985. We are considering the future of this guidance in light of the responses to the consultation on unauthorised development and encampments.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many individual sites have submitted planning applications for exploratory drilling for shale gas since the lifting of the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in 2012.
Answered by Dominic Raab
Since 2012, 10 planning applications for individual shale exploration proposals have been submitted. 5 of these applications have been granted planning permission.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many individual sites have received planning permission for exploratory drilling for shale gas since the lifting of the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in 2012.
Answered by Dominic Raab
Since 2012, 10 planning applications for individual shale exploration proposals have been submitted. 5 of these applications have been granted planning permission.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to Sections 70a and 70b of the Town and County Planning Act 1990 (as amended), what estimate he has made of the number of overlapping and subsequent minerals applications, commonly known as twin track minerals applications, that have been submitted since 2011.
Answered by Dominic Raab
The Secretary of State has made no such estimate.
In respect of “twin track” minerals applications, the Hon Member may wish to know that under section 70B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, a local planning authority can decline to determine an application for planning permission. This may be when it has been made either on the same day as a similar application or when particular conditions apply in relation to a similar application, such as where that similar application is under consideration by the Secretary of State on appeal and the Secretary of State has not issued his decision.
An application is similar to another application if a local planning authority think that the development and the land to which the applications relate are the same or substantially the same.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2018 to Question 121545, on Planning Permission: Appeals, what the Planning Inspectorate appeal reference numbers are for the 7 minerals appeals stated.
Answered by Dominic Raab
The Planning Inspectorate appeal reference numbers for the 7 mineral appeals stated in the Answer of 16 January 2018 to Question UIN 121545 are: 2144739, 2155358, 2155352, 2160019, 3002435, 3166227 and 3167459.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to Sections 70a and 70b of the Town and County Planning Act 1990 (as amended), what estimate he has made of the number of overlapping and subsequent minerals applications, commonly known as twin track minerals applications, that have been submitted since 2011.
Answered by Dominic Raab
The Secretary of State has made no such estimate.
In respect of “twin track” minerals applications, the Hon Member may wish to know that under section 70B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, a local planning authority can decline to determine an application for planning permission. This may be when it has been made either on the same day as a similar application or when particular conditions apply in relation to a similar application, such as where that similar application is under consideration by the Secretary of State on appeal and the Secretary of State has not issued his decision.
An application is similar to another application if a local planning authority think that the development and the land to which the applications relate are the same or substantially the same.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 012, Reference ID: 16-012-20140306, of the Government’s Appeals Planning Practice Guidance, what estimate he has made of the number of minerals applications appealed as non-determinations as a result of a breach of the 13-week determination limit since 2011.
Answered by Dominic Raab
From 2011 to 2017, 7 appeals were made following the failure of the local planning authority to determine the application within the statutory timescale.