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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to require local planning authorities to consider the financial viability and track record of developers as part of the planning process.

On 25 May, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out (which can be found on gov.uk here) which included proposals to implement a new power for authorities to decline to determine planning applications made by developers who fail to build out at a reasonable rate. The consultation closed on 7 July and we are currently considering all feedback received.

It would not be appropriate for local planning authorities to be required to assess the financial viability of a developer when determining a planning application. This is not a planning matter and would place undue burden on both applicant and local planning authority.