Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
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 add chalk streams to the National Planning Policy Framework as an irreplaceable habitat.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 94314 on 3 December 2025.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2025 to question 94312, what a wholly exceptional reason would be.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Further guidance on how local planning authorities should implement the protections relating to irreplaceable habitats can be found in Planning Practice Guidance on gov.uk here and the footnotes to the National Planning Policy Framework on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that telecommunications operators engaging in permitted development applications for 5G infrastructure adequately consult and engage with local communities, particularly in residential areas; and what guidance is provided to local planning authorities on assessing siting and appearance under permitted development rules.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Electronic communications code operators using permitted development rights are required to follow the Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development in England.
The code has an important role in making sure that appropriate engagement takes place with local communities and other interested parties. Guidance on permitted development rights is available on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
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 plans to give councils additional planning powers to help tackle unwanted uses such as barbers, vape shops and betting shops.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has no current plans to amend local planning authorities’ powers along the lines suggested.
The government is empowering communities to curate healthy, vibrant public spaces through the Pride in Place Strategy.
We have committed to introduce Cumulative Impact Assessments in respect of gambling licensing which will allow councils to take data-driven decisions on premises licences, particularly in areas that have been identified as being vulnerable to gambling-related harm.
Asked by: Richard Quigley (Labour - Isle of Wight West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that planning policy does not inhibit the creation of transitional self-contained stepping stone homes for young people who are ready to live independently but cannot afford the private rented sector.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies.
Asked by: Richard Quigley (Labour - Isle of Wight West)
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 is taking to support local authorities in scaling up the provision of stepping stone homes for young people at risk of homelessness.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies.
Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 24 November (HL Deb col 1154), whether severely contaminated brownfield sites will not be developed due to the cost of remediation, and whether they plan for those sites to remain contaminated and derelict.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Planning Policy Framework states (attached) that planning policies and decisions should support appropriate opportunities to remediate derelict and contaminated land. It also states that where a site is affected by contamination, responsibility for securing a safe development rests with the developer and/or landowner. Planning Practice Guidance on viability (attached) recognises abnormal costs, including those associated with treatment for contaminated sites.
To unlock previously developed land for housing, the Government provides capital support to local authorities through the Brownfield Land Release Fund. The funding enables councils to undertake necessary remediation works, including decontamination.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 is taking to improve the planning system.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government published a revised pro-growth National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on 12 December 2024.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will help speed up and streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure.
It remains our intention to consult on a new suite of national policies for decision making before the end of the year.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 is taking to improve housing provision.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is taking concerted action to improve housing provision in England including reforming the planning system and record grant funding support for social and affordable housebuilding.
Housing is a devolved matter within the competency of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to require local authorities to collect and publish baseline data on current (a) sports facilities and (b) heritage landscapes.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has not made an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities (including quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses) and opportunities for new provision. Information gained from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sport and recreational provision is needed, which plans should then seek to accommodate.
The NPPF also sets out policies to maintain pitches and to conserve protected landscapes and designated heritage assets, all of which are important material considerations to be taken into account when dealing with applications for development which may affect them.