Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that Local Planning Authorities have enough resources to enforce planning conditions if developers do not comply with planning applications.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case.
It is also for local planning authorities to ensure they have the resources in place to carry out their planning enforcement function effectively.
For a summary of the steps the government is taking to support capacity and capability within local planning authorities, including within their enforcement teams, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 67508 on 14 July 2025.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that appropriate infrastructure is built when building new towns.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report as well as the government’s initial response to it. Both can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Local Planning Authorities have an up-to-date local plan before local government reorganisation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 3 June 2025 (HCWS676) and the answer given to Question UIN 70545 on 15 September 2025.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to include leasehold houses in Right To Manage eligibility.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has commenced the Right to Manage measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. They came into effect on 3 March 2025.
These changes implement the Law Commission recommendation to increase the non-residential floorspace limit from 25 to 50 per cent for Right to Manage claims. This means that more leaseholders in mixed-use buildings will qualify for the right to manage, gaining control over the management of their building. Further changes mean that leaseholders making right to manage claims will no longer have to pay their freeholder’s process costs for that claim.
As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), the government is determined to take action to address Law Commission recommendations omitted from the 2024 Act.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Green Belt protection is factored in when making decisions on new towns.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Green Belt policy is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
The NPPF is a material consideration in planning decisions.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 58228 on Planning: Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Local Authorities are upholding the Golden Rules under the revised National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58228 on 24 June 2025.
The government’s planning practice guidance on viability makes clear that where development is subject to the ‘Golden Rules’, site specific viability assessment should not be used for the purpose of reducing developer contributions. The guidance is available on gov.uk here. We are currently reviewing planning practice guidance and will publish updates in due course.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will publish further guidance to Local Planning Authorities on the weight given in the planning balance to a failure to comply with the Golden Rules.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58228 on 24 June 2025.
The government’s planning practice guidance on viability makes clear that where development is subject to the ‘Golden Rules’, site specific viability assessment should not be used for the purpose of reducing developer contributions. The guidance is available on gov.uk here. We are currently reviewing planning practice guidance and will publish updates in due course.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the consistency of Local Planning Authorities in applying the (a) NPPF and (b) Planning Practice Guidance.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government does not directly assess the consistency of Local Planning Authorities in applying the National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Practice Guidance.
However, independent Planning Inspectors examine local development plans to ensure they are legally compliant and sound, including in respect of whether they are consistent with national policy.
Similarly, when determining appeals, Planning Inspectors consider these principles, ensuring that decisions reflect national policy and guidance.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Local Planning Authorities have an up-to-date local plan.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The plan-led approach is, and must remain, the cornerstone of our planning system.
To progress toward our ambition of universal local plan coverage, the government has made clear that it will drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible.
Later this year, we will introduce reforms to accelerate local plan preparation. We will establish a clear 30-month timeline for plans to be prepared and require plans to be kept up-to-date, ensuring a more sustainable pipeline of land for development and supporting the government’s commitments to delivering much-needed homes and infrastructure.
This government has provided in excess of £29 million to local planning authorities this year to support them to get plans in place as soon as possible. In addition, authorities should make the most of other support available through the Local Government Association’s Planning Advisory Service.
This government is committed to taking tough action to ensure local authorities have up-to-date local plans in place. While we hope the need will not arise, we have made clear that we are willing to make full use of available intervention powers – including taking over a local authority’s plan making directly – if local plans are not progressed as required.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60598 on Neighbourhood Plans, what guidance her Department has provided to local planning authorities so that they can continue to be appropriately funded for their neighbourhood planning function.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Following the Spending Review, my Department announced that it is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards.
After more than a decade of taxpayer support, our assessment is that neighbourhood planning should now be possible without further government funding. With more than £71 million of support since 2013, there is now a network of planners and groups with the skills and expertise to prepare neighbourhood plans and to help other communities to do so.
The government remains of the view that neighbourhood plans can play an important role in the planning system. Communities can continue to prepare neighbourhood plans where they consider that doing so is in their best interests and they continue to have statutory weight in planning decisions. Once passed at referendum, neighbourhood plans form part of the local development plan, which is the starting point in making planning decisions.
We have been clear that we will ensure that local planning authorities continue to be appropriately funded for their neighbourhood planning function. We will announce further detail details in due course.