Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the requirements set out in the interim planning guidance on the consideration of the Environment Act PM2.5 targets in planning decisions, published in November 2024, on the (a) viability and (b) cost of new developments.

The interim planning guidance is expected to have minimal impact on the viability and cost of new developments. It is interim guidance whilst Defra develops substantive technical guidance, and as such an assessment is not required.