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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing Mayoral Strategic Authorities with statutory duties on play via the proposed English Devolution Bill.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that formal play spaces and recreational areas should not be built on unless they are no longer needed, equivalent or better alternatives are provided, or the new development is for alternative sports or recreational provision which offers greater benefits.

The Government believes that individual local authorities are best placed to make local planning decisions. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will introduce powers for strategic authorities to produce strategic spatial plans for their area. These powers are about planning for growth across a larger than local area, and do not include specific duties in relation to play. Local planning authorities will still be responsible for developing and agreeing a Local Plan in line with the strategic spatial plan and it is at this level that specific decisions about issues like playgrounds would be made.