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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many retrospective planning applications have remained undetermined by local planning authorities for more than (a) six, (b) twelve and (c) eighteen months since validation; and what guidance his Department has issued to local planning authorities on enforcement action in cases where commercial operations are conducted on sites subject to outstanding retrospective applications for development carried out without prior planning consent.

My Department does not collect data specifically relating to the number of retrospective planning applications.

Guidance on enforcement action can be found on gov.uk here.