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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the Government will take steps to ensure brownfield development is incentivised by planning policy instead of development on greenfield sites.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out that planning policies and decisions should make efficient use of land and give substantial weight to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements. To support this approach we have introduced a number of planning measures including uplifting local housing need in the top 20 most populated cities to make the most of brownfield land and existing infrastructure, and required every local authority to publish a register of local brownfield land suitable for housing. We have also revised Permitted Development and Use Class rules so that yet more homes can be created and commercial buildings can change more easily between uses, helping make best use of existing buildings.

To support these policies we are providing significant tax payer subsidy for the take-up and completion of brownfield redevelopment. We have set the £1.5 billion Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land Fund and the £550 million Brownfield Housing Fund. Around half the projects in the £4.3bn Housing Infrastructure Fund programme are mostly on brownfield land and a further £180 million of taxpayer subsidy has been made available to help authorities release smaller brownfield sites for housing.