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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on communities in Braintree District of planning appeals for major developments that have been approved on sites that are outside the settlement boundaries contained in Braintree District Council's Local Plan.

The relevant policies are contained within the Braintree District Local Development Framework Core Strategy 2011, the Braintree Local Plan Review and the National Planning Policy Framework. These contain policies concerning development outside of settlement boundaries in order to protect the character of the countryside. The Secretary of State will pay due regard to these as a part of the decision making process.