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

To ask His Majesty's Government what evidential basis or analysis they hold to determine whether the prospect of a local planning authority incurring a cost award in a planning appeal is sufficient incentive to ensure local planning authorities appropriately apply the policies in the National Planning Policy Framework in regard to grey belt and the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

My Department has made no such assessment.

The award of costs regime exists to encourage good behaviour by all parties in the planning process. Costs may be awarded where a party has behaved unreasonably and has caused another party to incur unnecessary or wasted expense.

Planning decisions are required to be made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Where local planning authorities have exercised their duty to determine planning applications in a reasonable manner, even if they are overturned at appeal, they should not normally be liable for an award of costs.