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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to protect residential housing developments built adjacent to urban parks from grass fire threats.

The government has strengthened national planning policy to ensure that climate resilience, including wildfire risk, is considered when planning for new development.

The National Planning Policy Framework requires local planning authorities to take account of climate change adaptation, including wildfire risk where relevant, through the plan-making process. It also makes clear that development proposals should account for the current and expected impacts of climate change over their lifetime, including by minimising vulnerability to risks such as wildfires.

Through these planning reforms, the government is helping to ensure that new residential development, including where proposed in locations that may be vulnerable to wildfire hazards, is designed and located in a way that supports safer and more climate-resilient communities.