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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the planning process protects access to green spaces for residents in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that strategic policies set out in the development plan should make sufficient provision for green infrastructure.

In addition, the designation of land as Local Green Space through local and neighbourhood plans allows communities to identify and protect green areas of particular importance to them.

National planning policy also sets out strong protections for existing open space, outlining that it should not be built on unless an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown the open space to be surplus to requirements, or that any loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable location, or that the development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the benefits of which clearly outweigh the loss of the current or former use.

The government is currently consulting on changes to the NPPF, including policies relating to green infrastructure and open space. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.