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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, updated 24 September 2024, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed reforms on the timing of the (a) submission and (b) adoption of Local Plans.

This government inherited a planning system in which only 31% of local planning authorities have adopted plans in the last five years.

We are determined to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible, to progress towards our ambition of achieving universal plan coverage and ensure plans contribute positively to our ambition of delivering 1.5 million homes.

In our recent consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), we set out changes to how we plan for the homes we need.

In drafting proposals for the consultation, we considered the impact upon plans at all stages of plan making. The proposed transitional arrangements aimed to strike a balance between maintaining the progress of plans at more advanced stages of preparation, while maximising proactive planning for the homes our communities need. They apply differently depending on what stage of preparation the plan has reached and the extent to which it is meeting the government’s housing growth aspirations. The transitional arrangements for plans will be confirmed when the revised NPPF is published.

As part of wider reforms, it is currently our intention to implement the new plan-making system as set out in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act from Summer or Autumn 2025. The new system will be simpler, faster, and shaped by the views of communities about how their area should evolve.