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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether (a) local planning authorities and (b) planning inspectors considering planning applications have a duty to consider as a material planning consideration (i) future housing deliverability throughout the Local Plan period of 15 years or more, (ii) future infrastructure delivery necessary to support new housing and (iii) reasonable efforts and best endeavours of local planning authorities to secure a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites in circumstances where a local planning authority is not able to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing.

We have made clear the importance of plans for ensuring we have the right homes in the right places supported by the necessary infrastructure, giving more certainty to local communities. The starting point for decisions by local planning authorities and planning inspectors will be the approved development plan for the area taking into account relevant material considerations, including national planning policy and guidance. All housing allocations and infrastructure plans need to be deliverable.

Local planning authorities should identify and update annually a supply of specific, deliverable sites and to demonstrate a five year land supply. Through the Housing White Paper we set out that local planning authorities will have the opportunity to fix their five-year housing land supply for a one-year period, to provide more certainty. Revised guidance will set more clearly how the five-year supply should be calculated.