Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on protected nature sites located within England’s National Parks.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
When it comes to development and the environment, we know we can do better than the status quo, which too often sees both sustainable housebuilding and nature recovery stall. Instead of environmental protections being seen as barriers to growth, we want to unlock a win-win for the economy and for nature. Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduces a new Nature Restoration Fund that will unlock and accelerate development while going beyond neutrality to unlock the positive impact development can have in driving nature recovery.
Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs), as proposed in Part 3 of the Bill, will address any potential negative effects of development on protected sites and species, whether located in National Parks, National Landscapes or elsewhere.
EDPs can only be put in place where the Secretary of State is satisfied the delivery of conservation measures are likely to outweigh the negative effects of development. Where this is not the case, existing environmental obligations, including those arising under the Habitats Regulations, will remain in place. In addition, EDPs and the conservation measures they propose must be evidence-based and properly scrutinised before being put in place. EDPs may include back-up measures that can be deployed if monitoring shows the environmental outcomes are not being achieved.
Policy safeguards relating to the protection of National Parks and National Landscapes, including those set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant National Policy Statements, remain in place.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on National Parks and National Landscapes.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
When it comes to development and the environment, we know we can do better than the status quo, which too often sees both sustainable housebuilding and nature recovery stall. Instead of environmental protections being seen as barriers to growth, we want to unlock a win-win for the economy and for nature. Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduces a new Nature Restoration Fund that will unlock and accelerate development while going beyond neutrality to unlock the positive impact development can have in driving nature recovery.
Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs), as proposed in Part 3 of the Bill, will address any potential negative effects of development on protected sites and species, whether located in National Parks, National Landscapes or elsewhere.
EDPs can only be put in place where the Secretary of State is satisfied the delivery of conservation measures are likely to outweigh the negative effects of development. Where this is not the case, existing environmental obligations, including those arising under the Habitats Regulations, will remain in place. In addition, EDPs and the conservation measures they propose must be evidence-based and properly scrutinised before being put in place. EDPs may include back-up measures that can be deployed if monitoring shows the environmental outcomes are not being achieved.
Policy safeguards relating to the protection of National Parks and National Landscapes, including those set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant National Policy Statements, remain in place.
Asked by: Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase funding for National Parks in England.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Protected Landscapes are our most iconic and inspiring places, underpinning our health, economy and climate. That’s why this government will empower Protected Landscapes to become greener, wilder and more accessible.
The Government is providing £45.2 million of core funding to the 10 National Park Authorities, with a capital uplift of up to £15 million to support their contribution to protecting 30% of land by 2030. In challenging financial circumstances, this uplift in capital investment is recognition of the vital importance of National Parks to government priorities. We have also extended programmes such as Farming in Protected Landscapes, providing £30 million to support projects in our National Landscapes and National Parks, until March 2026.
We understand resourcing remains a challenge and recognise that the Defra core grant is vital to support England’s Protected Landscapes. Given the pressures on public finances, we are also committed to working with Protected Landscapes organisations to unleash other income sources and foster innovation. For example, are we seeking to accelerate private investment in Protected Landscapes and introducing a general power of competence for National Park Authorities which will remove barriers to a more entrepreneurial approach.
Asked by: Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help (a) protect and (b) support the South Downs National Park.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government has committed to empower all Protected Landscapes, including the South Downs National Park, to be greener, wilder and more accessible.
In the 25-26 financial year, we are providing £9.6 million of core resource funding to South Downs National Park Authority, alongside £2 million capital investment. We have also extended programmes such as Farming in Protected Landscapes, providing £30 million to support projects in our National Landscapes and National Parks, until March 2026. In 25-26, the overall Farming in Protected Landscapes allocation to the South Downs National Park is £756,488.
On the 16 December we committed to strengthen their underpinning legislation and governance. We will co-design the new legislation with partners but intend to strengthen the statutory purposes of National Landscapes and National Parks to give them a clear mandate to recover nature. Through this recovery, Protected Landscapes will fight climate change, foster a thriving green economy, and support the mental and physical health of the nation.
The legislation will also update their governance to ensure it creates the conditions for success, innovation and collaboration. This will include providing National Park Authorities with a general power of competence – which will clarify their legal framework and remove barriers to integrated delivery.
We have also published guidance for relevant authorities to make expectations clear in relation to their duty to seek to further the purposes of Protected Landscapes.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of National Landscape status on biodiversity.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Natural England has the statutory responsibility for identifying areas for new or extended National Landscape designations.
National Landscapes have a statutory purpose to conserve and enhance natural beauty, and biodiversity is a key consideration within this purpose.
The Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework is supporting delivery of our EIP and statutory biodiversity targets in Protected Landscapes, empowering Protected Landscape bodies, relevant authorities, farmers, land managers and other organisations to work together in planning and targeting resources and activity.
We have also extended our Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, providing £30 million to support nature recovery and other projects in our National Landscapes and National Parks, until March 2026.
Asked by: Lizzi Collinge (Labour - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has (a) evaluated the outcomes of the Invasive Species Management Fund and (b) considered (i) renewing the fund, (ii) establishing a successor scheme and (iii) providing (A) funding and (B) support for National Parks to lead invasive species control activity in their areas.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Over the last two years, Defra has funded twelve Local Action Groups (LAGs) across all regions in England to control invasive species through its Local Invasive Species Management Fund. The funding period has now come to an end and Defra is currently evaluating the outcomes of the fund. Whilst Government is unable to renew the fund or establish a successor scheme at this time, it is continuing to look for ways to support the control of widespread invasive species. For example, funding is available for invasive species control through the Environmental Land Management Countryside Stewardship scheme.
Government is providing £45.2 million of core funding to the 10 National Park Authorities. We have also extended programmes such as Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL), providing £30 million to support projects in our National Landscapes and National Parks, until March 2026. Funding is not ringfenced for invasive species control as National Park Authorities decide their priorities locally, but since the FiPL programme launched in 2021 it has funded actions to control invasive species on around 15,000ha of land managed in Protected Landscapes.
Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has a (a) grassland policy group and (b) person responsible for grassland policy.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There is no single group responsible for grassland policy, as policies affecting grasslands cut across several Defra policy areas. These include Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMs), National Biodiversity, Protected Sites and Protected Landscapes. There are also a range of habitat and species specialists in Natural England, including for grasslands.
This Government is committed to delivering our legally binding biodiversity targets which includes our habitat target to restore or create 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside of protected sites by 2042. We are delivering this target over a wide range of habitats, including wildlife-rich grasslands.
Protected Landscapes (National Landscapes, National Trails and National Parks) work together through the Big Chalk partnership, which seeks to protect and restore our nature-rich chalk grasslands.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 6 June 2025 to Question 53925 on Green Belt: Planning, what definition her Department uses for a built-up area; and what level of density or rurality provides that development on residential gardens is considered construction on brownfield land.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The definition of Previously Developed Land is set out in Annex 2: Glossary of the National Planning Policy Framework. It excludes land in built-up areas such as residential gardens, parks, and allotments.
The National Planning Policy Framework, and associated Green Belt guidance, do not introduce a definition of a built-up area.
Asked by: Geoffrey Cox (Conservative - Torridge and Tavistock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will exclude (a) Dartmoor, (b) the Tamar Valley and (c) other environmentally protected and low-density settlement areas in West Devon from her Department’s methodology for determining the required number of new affordable homes; and if she will adopt the relevant local authority's baseline figure.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government implemented a new standard method for assessing housing need via the revised National Planning Policy Framework in December 2024. The revised method aligns with our ambition to deliver 1.5 million safe and decent homes this parliament and better directs new homes to where they are most needed and least affordable.
National policy is clear that the standard method should be used by local authorities to inform the preparation of their local plans. Once local housing need has been assessed, authorities should make an assessment of the amount of new homes that can be provided in their area. This should be justified by evidence on land availability and constraints on development, such as National Landscapes, and any other relevant matters.
Planning Practice Guidance makes clear that where strategic policy-making authorities do not align with local authority boundaries, or where the data used in the method is not available, such as in National Parks, an alternative approach may have to be used. In these instances, authorities may continue to identify a housing need figure using a method determined locally.
Local authorities should also make their own assessment of size, type, and tenure of housing needed for different groups in their local communities, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. This can draw on locally held data such as the number of homeless households or those in temporary accommodation.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of National Landscape status on (a) planning and (b) development of that land.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Natural England has the statutory responsibility for identifying areas for new or extended National Landscape designations. As part of this, they undertake evidence-based assessments to consider the potential impact of any proposed changes.
As set out in the National Planning Policy Framework great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty in National Parks, the Broads and National Landscapes which have the highest status of protection in relation to these issues.
The scale and extent of development within all these designated areas should be limited, while development within their setting should be sensitively located and designed to avoid or minimise adverse impacts on the designated areas.
When considering applications for development within National Landscapes, permission should be refused for major development other than in exceptional circumstances, and where it can be demonstrated that the development is in the public interest.