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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of in how many cases the Planning Inspectorate has found that a local planning authority has acted unreasonably in refusing a planning application for a clean energy project without justification since 2020.

The Planning Inspectorate does not hold information on whether a local planning authority has acted unreasonably in refusing a planning application for a clean energy project without justification. As such, we are unable to provide an estimate on the number of such cases.

In addition, when determining a planning appeal the Planning Inspector or Secretary of State can only address the principle of whether costs should be awarded in full or in part. The precise costs are settled subsequently between the parties, who are under no obligation to inform the Planning Inspectorate or the Secretary of State as to the outcome. As such, we are unable to provide an estimate of the total costs awarded in relation to such cases.