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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce penalties for local planning authorities that fail to introduce a five-year land supply.

In order to build the homes this country needs it is vital that local authorities produce a plan, in consultation with their local communities, for the homes that are needed in their area.

The National Planning Policy Framework introduced the presumption in favour of sustainable development, which applies where a local authority cannot demonstrate a five year land supply. This has been effective in bringing forward more land for housing but has been a blunt tool.

The Housing White Paper included proposals to continue this policy while offering more certainty to those authorities who are identifying enough land for housing. Subject to consultation, this will be taken forward through the revised National Planning Policy Framework, which will be published for consultation before Easter.