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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2017 to Question 5213, on buildings: fire prevention, whether replacement of cladding with cladding of a similar appearance but of a different material composition requires planning permission.

I refer the Hon Member for Denton and Reddish to the answer I gave on 4 September 2017 to Question UIN 5213. Section 55 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 sets out that where work does not materially alter the appearance of a building, planning permission may not be required. Planning permission is ultimately a matter for each Local Planning Authority.