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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning appeals relating to development on green belt land have been recovered for a decision by the Secretary of State in each of the last five years.

A recovery entails a planning appeal decision being made directly by Planning Ministers, rather than planning inspectors on behalf of the Secretary of State.

15 appeals were recovered in 2010, 20 in 2011, 55 in 2012, 45 in 2013 and 23 in 2014.

As outlined in previous Written Ministerial Statements, the recovery criteria was intentionally changed to consider recovering more appeals, following changes made to planning policy and guidance to increase protection of the Green Belt.