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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what development restrictions there are in areas of outstanding natural beauty.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear the importance the Government attaches to Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Framework says that great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty in these areas, which have the highest status of protection.

It makes clear that the scale and extent of any development – including housing - in these areas should be limited. Local authorities are expected to refuse planning permission for major development there, other than in exceptional circumstances and where the development would be in the public interest.