Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to proposals to modernise planning committees and introduce a national scheme of delegation, whether applications affecting green belt land could be determined by officers rather than elected members; what criteria will determine whether such applications are considered strategic; and how he will ensure democratic accountability for decisions involving the loss of green space.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 28 May 2025, my Department published a technical consultation on proposals for reform of planning committees. It can be found on gov.uk here.
The consultation has now closed, and we are analysing the responses with a view to consulting on draft regulations for such a National Scheme of Delegation in the coming months.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Impact Assessment accompanying the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, what assessment he has made of the proportion of additional housing delivery expected to arise from development on green belt land; what safeguards will apply to ensure that the Bill does not result in unnecessary or irreversible loss of protected green spaces; and if he will publish an analysis of whether housing targets can be met through brownfield and urban regeneration before green belt release is considered.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 requires strategic planning authorities to have regard to the need to ensure their spatial development strategies are consistent with national policies, including those relating to Green Belt and green spaces. There are no other provisions relating to Green Belt land in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.
I otherwise refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84470 on 30 October 2025, UIN 94689 on 5 December 2025, UIN 98288 on 5 January 2026, UIN 102192 on 12 January 2026, UIN 105177 on 20 January 2026, UIN 106373 on 26 January 2026.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the new cross-boundary strategic planning mechanisms proposed in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, what assessment he has made of the level of the risk that strategic housing targets could concentrate development pressure on green belt land in authorities with strong environmental protections; what role local communities and elected councillors will retain in decision-making on green belt development; and if he will ensure that strategic planning does not override locally designated green spaces valued by residents.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 requires strategic planning authorities to have regard to the need to ensure their spatial development strategies are consistent with national policies, including those relating to Green Belt and green spaces. There are no other provisions relating to Green Belt land in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.
I otherwise refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84470 on 30 October 2025, UIN 94689 on 5 December 2025, UIN 98288 on 5 January 2026, UIN 102192 on 12 January 2026, UIN 105177 on 20 January 2026, UIN 106373 on 26 January 2026.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the National Planning Policy Framework's Grey Belt Policy on the development of village infrastructure including (a) schools, (b) GP services, (c) transport and (d) wastewater; and what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of securing infrastructure before developments in village areas begin.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 90834 on the 21 November 2025, Question UIN 67812 on the 21 July 2025, and Question UIN 26106 on the 5 February 2025.
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making.
The proposed Green Belt policy is set out in Chapter 13 of the consultation which can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications which re-designate green belt as grey belt land there have been since December 2024; and how many of those applications were approved for each English region.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not hold the information requested.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the absence of a five-year land supply for traveller sites constitutes grounds for traveller site development in the green belt in the context of (a) a local plan and (b) an individual planning decision.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
National planning policy is clear that it is the responsibility of local planning authorities to assess the need for traveller sites in their areas and plan to meet that need, in the same way that they plan for all forms of housing.
In producing their local plan, local planning authorities should set pitch targets for traveller sites, and identify a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites against their locally set targets.
When considering applications, local planning authorities should consider matters such as the local need for sites and whether an up-to-date five-year supply of deliverable sites can be demonstrated. It is for local authorities to make decisions on specific development proposals and locations, taking into account all relevant circumstances.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether unmet need for traveller sites constitute grounds for traveller site development in (a) the Green Belt and (b) open countryside.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
National planning policy is clear that it is the responsibility of local planning authorities to assess the need for traveller sites in their areas and plan to meet that need, in the same way that they plan for all forms of housing.
In producing their local plan, local planning authorities should set pitch targets for traveller sites, and identify a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites against their locally set targets.
When considering applications, local planning authorities should consider matters such as the local need for sites and whether an up-to-date five-year supply of deliverable sites can be demonstrated. It is for local authorities to make decisions on specific development proposals and locations, taking into account all relevant circumstances.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to ensure that new infrastructure projects protect the green belt in a) Essex and b) Romford constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is committed to preserving Green Belts which have served England's towns and cities well over many decades, not least in terms of checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas and preventing neighbouring towns merging into one another.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including infrastructure, should not be approved unless justified by very special circumstances.
The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, rules- based policies for plan-making and decision-making. The consultation includes revisions to Green Belt policy.
The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to review the legality of developing crematoria on Green Belt land; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the current planning framework governing such developments.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making.
Proposed Green Belt policy is set out in Chapter 13 of the consultation which can be found on gov.uk here.
A proposal to build a crematorium would be assessed by the relevant local planning authority in the light of all material considerations, including the NPPF, relevant development plan policies and any specific land-use impacts associated with the proposal.
The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has recently assessed the impact of Grey Belt policy criteria that focus on towns and large built-up areas on village-edge Green Belt land, and his Department's assessment of the potential impact of this policy on rural settlements in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, such as Redbourn.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In assessing whether Green Belt land is grey belt, local planning authorities should consider the contribution the land in question makes to the Green Belt purposes of restricting the sprawl of large built up areas, preventing the merging of neighbouring towns, and safeguarding the setting and special character of historic towns.
Relevant Green Belt guidance makes clear that when assessing contribution to these purposes, “large built-up areas” and “towns” do not include villages.
Considering whether any particular settlement constitutes a village is a matter for the given local planning authority to judge, which may be informed by the adopted local settlement hierarchy.