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, what assessment he has made of the proportion of residential planning permissions granted in England in each of the last five years that have not resulted in development commencing within two years of permission being granted.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 122315 on 1 April 2026.
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, if he will make it his Department’s policy to take steps to strengthen planning regulations so that local authorities must take greater consideration of local architectural characteristics.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Exemplary development should be the norm not the exception so that more communities feel the benefits of new development and welcome it.
As we act to boost housing supply, we are also taking steps to improve the design and quality of the homes and neighbourhoods being built.
On 21 January 2026, we published new consolidated draft Design and Placemaking Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) for consultation which can be found on gov.uk here.
The draft PPG encourages local planning authorities to embed clear design visions in local plans and to use tools such as design codes, masterplans, and local guidance to respond to the distinct context of their areas, including architectural character.
The consultation closed on 12 March 2026. We are currently analysing feedback and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 collates statistics on planning enforcement appeals in relation to traveller sites.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Planning Inspectorate collects data on planning enforcement appeals, including those relating to traveller sites. This information is publicly available on the Planning Inspectorate Casework Database on gov.uk here. This data is not routinely identified or reported separately by enforcement case type.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 collates statistics on retrospective planning applications.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not collect data specifically relating to the number of retrospective planning applications
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department last reviewed the list of statutory consultees; and when the Department next plans to review it.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 18 November 2025, the government launched a consultation on reforms to the statutory consultee system, which sought views on the scope of what statutory consultees advise on, and removing statutory consultee status from certain bodies.
The consultation, which closed on 13 January 2026, is available on gov.uk here.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
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 issue planning practice guidance on the weight to be given to Home Office protective security assessments when determining planning applications.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that planning decisions should promote public safety and take into account wider security and defence requirements by anticipating and addressing possible malicious threats and other hazards. This would include any HMG led development.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on a new NPPF. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to public safety and security. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what target timescales his Department has set for the determination of offshore wind and grid connection planning applications; and what steps he is taking to reduce delays in consenting for nationally significant energy infrastructure.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In England and Wales, the Planning Act 2008 sets statutory deadlines for the Examining Authority and the deciding Secretary of State. These do not differ by infrastructure type.
The Government is taking multiple actions to speed up the planning process including in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, and in its response to the Nuclear Regulatory Review in March 2026.
Planning applications relating to the grid in Scotland are a matter for Scottish Ministers.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that protective security measures approved and funded under the Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme are considered in the planning process; and whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on ensuring that planning decisions do not override counter-terrorism security advice on grounds of (a) visual impact and (b) aesthetics.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme is a hate crime preventative scheme available to vulnerable places of worship or associated faith-based community sites of all faiths (except Muslim and Jewish) in England and Wales.
Protective security measures delivered through the scheme are required to comply with the existing planning framework. The scheme funds measures such as CCTV, secure fencing, stronger doors and external lighting, but does not cover planning permission fees.
Where a proposed measure requires planning permission or listed building consent, installation can only proceed once the relevant approvals have been secured.
The Home Office sets out clearly to applicants that any funded measures must be taken forward in accordance with all applicable legal and planning requirements. The Home Office does not play a role in securing planning permission on behalf of successful applicants. Planning decisions are a matter for the relevant local planning authority under the statutory planning framework.
The Home Office continues to work across government, as appropriate, to support the effective delivery of protective security for places of worship, within the framework set by existing legislation and planning processes. More widely, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF) in England, and its equivalent in the Devolved Governments, contains provision regarding the need to promote public safety and consider wider security requirements during the planning process.
Additionally, the Home Office has worked with NaCTSO to deliver Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) for Local Authorities - through the Venues and Public Spaces Strategy. ACT for Local Authorities is a service offer from Counter Terrorism Police which seeks to support local government in a focused and nationally consistent way, by embedding counter terrorism protective security and preparedness considerations into their day-to-day activity. NaCTSO has also published guidance on ProtectUK planning for local authorities to support them in their decision making.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29 May 2026 to Question 2563 on Asylum: Housing, how many sites have been assessed for modular building asylum accommodation to date; how many have had planning permission sought or granted; and what is her target number of modular accommodation places to be operational by 31 March 2027.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
We are moving at pace to fulfil the Government’s commitment to close every asylum hotel by the end of this parliament. Work to facilitate this exit is ongoing, and the Asylum Accommodation Taskforce is working across Government to deliver alternative asylum accommodation.
We are actively exploring all viable options so we can reduce reliance on hotels, including using modular buildings and ex-military sites.
We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with planning regulations.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to make a decision on the application for East Park Energy Solar Park.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This is a live planning application that is currently under independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate; it would not be appropriate to comment further. I would encourage anyone with an interest to register with the Planning Inspectorate to share their views.