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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his Department's policy is on expanding planning consent beyond the area allocated for housing in the Local Plan.

My policy is to support a plan-led system which engages communities and gives a clear indication of what will happen where. There will be some circumstances where development is appropriate on other sites – for example where plans are out of date or new regeneration opportunities arise – which is why plans need to be reviewed regularly. I am considering how further reform of planning could support the preparation of timely, accessible and effective plans.