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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that infrastructure improvements are made in rural areas before new housing development is permitted.

The Government's National Planning Policy Framework sets out that local authorities should plan for the mix of housing and supporting infrastructure they need through the Local Plan process. Planning decisions are taken in accordance with the Local Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Powers also exist to ensure appropriate infrastructure is in place to support new housing development. A local planning authority is able to seek a section 106 planning obligation as a requirement of a planning permission. Such obligations are used to mitigate the impact of a development to make it acceptable in planning terms. They might, for example, require the provision of a new or improved road or school. They can also be used to specify when infrastructure should be delivered, so that development is sequenced appropriately.

Local authorities are also able to adopt the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). This is a set charge on most development to help fund the infrastructure needed to address the cumulative impact of development across the wider area. CIL funds can be used to provide and maintain infrastructure.