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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to section 917 of Fixing the foundations: creating a more prosperous nation, published 10 July 2015, Cm 9098, whether under these proposals local authorities could be required to allow new building on greenbelt sites in cases where the Government imposes a local plan on their behalf.

This Government reaffirmed in its election manifesto that we would maintain strong protection for Green Belt in line with our policy in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Framework makes clear that most new building is inappropriate in Green Belt, and that a Green Belt boundary may be altered only in exceptional circumstances, through the Local Plan. Planning guidance reminds local authorities that, in planning to meet housing need, they must have regard to policies in the Framework on the protection of areas such as Green Belt, which indicate that development should be restricted. Where there is no up-to-date Local Plan, new draft Plans will continue to be produced in consultation with local people.