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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to further strengthen protection for ancient woodland; and if he will make a statement.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that planning permission should be refused for development resulting in the loss or deterioration of ancient woodland, unless the need for, and benefits of, the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss.

The Housing White Paper, Fixing our broken housing market, contains proposals to clarify the protection of ancient woodland, and to place these habitats alongside other national policies which indicate development should be restricted when preparing plans or deciding planning applications. Consultation on the White Paper is open for comment until 2 May.