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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that Wolverhampton South West constituents are consulted on future local planning decisions.

The planning reforms set out in the Planning for the Future White paper will make it simpler, quicker and more accessible for local people to engage with the planning system. The best way to bring forward new, significant development is by improving community engagement and input at an earlier stage in the planning process.

At the plan making stage, people will have the opportunity to comment on local plans and have their say on the location and standard of new development. This will give certainty to local communities that development will be in the areas best identified for growth. There will still be the opportunity for people to comment on planning applications where these are required.

Constituents of South West Wolverhampton will be able to have their say on the emerging Black Country Plan, which covers all the Black Country Local Authorities and is currently being produced. A draft of the Plan will be ready next year and residents are strongly encouraged to have their say once it is available for comment.