Asked by: Chris Grayling (Conservative - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2023 to Question 9443 on Local Plans: Green Belt, whether he has powers to intervene should a planning inspector require a local authority to build housing on a designated green belt site.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Secretary of State appoints an independent Planning Inspector to examine a revised Local Plan (including any Green Belt boundary change) and check that it is legally compliant and sound. Plans must be positively prepared, justified, effective, and consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework. If requested by the local authority, Inspectors may recommend modifications to the Plan they consider necessary for it to be sound. The Framework is not law, simply requiring compliance: examining Inspectors have regard to its policies insofar as they are a material consideration.
As Annex 1 makes clear, the revised Framework will come into effect where a revised Plan reaches pre-submission stage after 19 March 2024. However, for the purposes of determining planning applications, the new Framework’s policies came into effect on 19 December 2023.
The Secretary of State has a range of intervention powers available to him in relation to the Plan-making process. Decisions to intervene are exceptional and made on a case-by-case basis once all the facts and any relevant legal advice have been considered.
Asked by: Chris Grayling (Conservative - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reasons can a planning inspector overrule a local council's housing plan.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Secretary of State appoints an independent Planning Inspector to examine a revised Local Plan (including any Green Belt boundary change) and check that it is legally compliant and sound. Plans must be positively prepared, justified, effective, and consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework. If requested by the local authority, Inspectors may recommend modifications to the Plan they consider necessary for it to be sound. The Framework is not law, simply requiring compliance: examining Inspectors have regard to its policies insofar as they are a material consideration.
As Annex 1 makes clear, the revised Framework will come into effect where a revised Plan reaches pre-submission stage after 19 March 2024. However, for the purposes of determining planning applications, the new Framework’s policies came into effect on 19 December 2023.
The Secretary of State has a range of intervention powers available to him in relation to the Plan-making process. Decisions to intervene are exceptional and made on a case-by-case basis once all the facts and any relevant legal advice have been considered.
Asked by: Chris Grayling (Conservative - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has issued guidance to planning inspectors on the applicability of Section 13 of the National Planning Policy Framework on Protecting the Green Belt if draft local plans have not made sufficient provision for new housing.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The National Planning Policy Framework now makes clear that there is no requirement to alter Green Belt boundaries to provide housing land.
Asked by: Chris Grayling (Conservative - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the National Planning Policy Framework, published on 20 December 2023, what steps he is taking to help planning inspectors ensure existing green belt boundaries when considering draft local plans.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The National Planning Policy Framework now makes clear that there is no requirement to alter Green Belt boundaries to provide housing land.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the National Planning Policy Framework updated on 19 December 2023, if he will publish additional guidance for (a) local authorities and (b) the Planning Inspectorate on balancing considerations relating to (i) green belt boundaries and (ii) housing targets when determining planning (A) applications and (B) appeals in the context of the standard method formula.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Further to the published information set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, transitional arrangements are set out in Annex 1 to the Framework. Government will consider whether updates are needed to planning practice guidance in due course. I refer the Hon Member to the written statement of 19 December 2023 (HCWS161).
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 19 December 2023, what his Department's policy is on whether local authorities who are in the process of developing a local plan (a) can and (b) should exclude some sites identified for housing development which are in the green belt.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Further to the published information set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, transitional arrangements are set out in Annex 1 to the Framework. Government will consider whether updates are needed to planning practice guidance in due course. I refer the Hon Member to the written statement of 19 December 2023 (HCWS161).
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his Department’s policy is on the building of (a) Traveller sites and (b) other forms of housing on greenfield land.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites sets out that local planning authorities should limit very strictly new traveller site development in open countryside away from existing settlements or outside areas allocated in the development plan. Local Planning Authorities should ensure that sites in rural areas respect the scale of, and do not dominate, the nearest settled community, and avoid placing undue pressure on local infrastructure.
Regarding other forms of housing, the National Planning Policy Framework states that planning policies and decisions should avoid the development of isolated homes in the countryside unless certain circumstances apply, such as an essential need for a rural worker, or design of exceptional quality. To promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of designated green belt land that meets the criteria for registration as brownfield land.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Relevant information is published in Live Table 401a .
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2023 to Question 192198 on Local Plans: Green Belt, whether local planning authorities progressing local plans should do so in accordance with (a) the Written Statement of 6 December 2022, HCWS415 on the Levelling Up Bill or (b) the National Planning Policy Framework as last revised on 20 July 2021.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
As set out previously, consultations are just that – consultations. They are not government policy. Announcements will be made in the usual way.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June to Question 191430 on Local Plans: Green Belt, whether his department has received any representations from local authorities which (a) indicate that they are and (b) request further guidance on whether they should be preparing local plans in line with (i) Written Ministerial Statement of 6 December 2022, HCWS415 on the Levelling Up Bill and (ii) the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government’s priority for getting up to date plans in place has not changed and we have been clear that local planning authorities should continue to progress their plans.
Authorities that fail to ensure up to date plans are in place are failing their communities by not recognising the homes and other facilities that local people need, and relying on ad hoc, speculative development that may not make the most of their area’s potential.