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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral contribution of 13 December 2022 of the Minister of State, Department or Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on Consideration of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, Official Report column 957, how the revised National Planning Policy Framework takes into account areas that have over-delivered and taken significant housing when calculating future housing figures.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out an expectation that the standard method will be used by local authorities to assess local housing needs, while recognising there may be exceptional circumstances that justify the use of an alternative approach.

The Framework does not set out an exhaustive list of what may or may not constitute an exceptional circumstance, but it does explain that this can include issues relating to the particular demographic characteristics of an area. It is for the local authority to determine if there are exceptional circumstances, and to then justify the use of an alternative method when bringing its plan forward for examination.