Asked by: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has provided to local authorities on assessing the social and economic value of a pub to the local area; and if he will make a statement of the effectiveness of that guidance.
Answered by Marcus Jones
The Government has not issued guidance to local authorities on assessing the social and economic value of their local pubs. However, the British Beer and Pub Association estimate that each pub contributes £80,000 each year to its local economy and that the UK pubs industry as a whole supports 900,000 jobs.
Asked by: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many pubs in England have asset of community value status.
Answered by Marcus Jones
There are over 1,200 pubs that have been listed as assets of community value by communities all over England.
Asked by: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the assets of community value scheme in protecting community pubs in (a) Sheffield and (b) England.
Answered by Marcus Jones
The Department has made no specific assessment of the effectiveness of the scheme in protecting community pubs in Sheffield or in England, although my officials are undertaking a review of the implementation of the policy in relation to all assets across the country. They are engaging a broad range of stakeholders - local authorities, community groups, property owners - to listen to their reflections and experiences concerning the policy and any evidence on how the Community Right to Bid is working in practice. The Community Right to Bid is seen by many stakeholders as a powerful way for local people to send a clear signal to their local authorities and to owners of assets that they are keen to have say on the future of buildings which are central to their lives.
Asked by: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information he holds on the number of community pubs with assets of community value status that have been closed or that no longer operate as a pub.
Answered by Marcus Jones
The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect this information.
Asked by: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what processes are in place to enable a community to appeal against the rejection of an asset of community value application.
Answered by Marcus Jones
There is no specific appeals process in place to enable a community to appeal against the rejection of an asset of community value application. If the nominating group feel that the local authority has not followed the due legal process in reaching a decision, the nominating group may bring any such irregularities to the attention of the local authority’s monitoring officer. In addition, if new evidence comes to light to support the case for the asset being listed, the community are able to re-nominate the asset.
Asked by: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from Sheffield City Council on protecting community pubs.
Answered by Marcus Jones
I have not received any such representations.
Asked by: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with Sheffield City Council on the assets of community value scheme.
Answered by Marcus Jones
Sheffield City Council has not approached the Department for any discussions on the Assets of Community Value scheme.
Asked by: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to encourage building on brownfield sites.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The Government will require local authorities to have a register of available brownfield land that is suitable for new homes. We also intend to create a Fund to unlock homes on brownfield land for additional housing. We will continue to support the regeneration of brownfield land through a range of measures, including £200 million to help create Housing Zones outside London and releasing enough public sector land for over 150,000 homes by 2020.
Asked by: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to protect mature trees in urban areas; and what support his Department provides to local authorities for such protection.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
Local planning authorities have the power to make a Tree Preservation Order to protect trees of amenity value in urban areas. With limited exceptions, it is an offence to cut down, top, lop, uproot, or wilfully damage or destroy a tree protected by an Order, without the authority’s permission. Our web-based planning guidance, Tree Preservation Orders and trees in conservation areas, supports authorities in the exercise of these powers.