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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to require strategic authorities with a significant rural population to set out, in their local growth plans and spatial development strategies, how rural communities will benefit from devolved investment; and whether any such requirement would form part of their plan sign-off and annual reporting.

The Government recognises that local leaders are best placed to understand and respond to the specific characteristics of their area. As such, Local Growth Plans are locally owned, allowing strategic authorities to determine how to use devolved funding and powers to support growth in a way that reflects local challenges and opportunities, and this is reflected in our supporting guidance.

Spatial Development Strategies must contain policies addressing issues of strategic importance across the whole of the strategic planning authority’s area, and they must have regard to the need to be consistent with national policies, which is tested by an independent examiner prior to adoption. The new National Planning Policy Framework includes a number of policies to support rural communities, including by setting out support for rural businesses and services, and setting expectations that development plans allocate sites for housing that will support and enhance the vitality of rural communities and enable villages to grow and thrive.