Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to (a) ensure that communities are involved in development in their area and (b) reduce the length of planning permission.

Local planning authorities are required to undertake a formal period of public consultation of no less than 21 days, prior to deciding a planning application. Effective consultation allows local planning authorities to identify and consider all relevant planning issues associated with a proposed development. Where relevant considerations are raised by local residents, these must be taken into account by the local authority before a decision is made.