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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason he called in the planning application for the Parkside development in Newton-le-Willows; and if he will publish the documentation his Department holds in relation to that decision.

This planning application (P/2018/0048/OUP) for the construction of up to 92,900 m2 of employment floorspace (Use Class B8 with ancillary B1(a)) and associated servicing and infrastructure on the site of former Parkside Colliery in Newton-le-Willows, was called-in by the Secretary of State on 21 May 2020. The reasons for the call in are as set out in the letter, and I am now arranging for a copy to be sent to the Honourable Member for St Helens North. It would not be appropriate for me to add anything.