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, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the Secretary of State having powers to direct local authorities in respect of housing development where they deem it necessary in the event that the local authority has failed to develop housing to meet local needs.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Where the supply and delivery of housing is not meeting local need, the presumption in favour of sustainable development applies. This means additional housing allocations and approvals should be granted by a local authority unless planning constraints provide a strong reason against this when assessed against the NPPF as a whole – examples of this include Green Belt or flood risk
The government is currently considering changes to the planning system. An announcement will be made in due course.
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 powers he has to review the (a) housing supply and (b) management of housing demand of local authorities that consistently fail to develop the housing required to meet local need.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that Councils identify and update annually a supply of specific ‘deliverable’ sites sufficient to provide a minimum of five years’ worth of housing against their housing requirement. This is more commonly known as a 5-year housing land supply. Additionally, the Housing Delivery Test identifies the areas where homes are or are not being delivered against housing need.
Where the supply and delivery of housing is not meeting local need, the presumption in favour of sustainable development applies. This means additional housing allocations and approvals should be granted by a local authority unless planning constraints provide a strong reason against this when assessed against the NPPF as a whole – examples of this include Green Belt or flood risk.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will call in for his determination planning application number 8/21/0207/FUL to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council for the construction of an incinerator on green belt land at Hurn; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We have received requests to call-in the application in question. These are being considered and a decision will be issued in due course.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his policy is on protecting the Green Belt from planning applications for battery storage units; and if he will update the national planning policy framework with a strategy for locating these units on land other than Green Belt land.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government has a manifesto commitment to protect and enhance the Green Belt. Our National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that most new building is inappropriate in Green Belt and should be refused permission unless in very special circumstances. Very special circumstances are not defined in national planning policy as it is rightly for the individual local authority to assess each case on its merits, and give relevant circumstances their due weight. However, when considering any planning application affecting Green Belt land, the local authority should ensure that substantial weight is given to any harm to the Green Belt.
The Framework is also clear that local authorities should support transition to a low-carbon future, including renewable and low-carbon energy generation. Local plans should identify suitable areas for renewable and low-carbon energy sources and infrastructure and guidance sets out how local authorities should take account of environmental, landscape and amenity considerations.
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 decision of the Planning Inspector of 14 June 2021 on the Roundhouse Farm development, appeals reference APP/B1930/W/20/3265925, that states that this provision has not been incorporated with the Framework which has subsequently been updated, and similar guidance within the Planning Practice Guidance has been removed, on what date the guidance protecting the greenbelt was removed.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is firmly committed to protecting and enhancing the Green Belt, in line with our manifesto. The National Planning Policy Framework already provides strong protections for the Green Belt. It states that inappropriate development on Green Belt land should be refused planning permission unless it is justified by very special circumstances. Moreover, local authorities may not alter the boundaries of Green Belt land unless in exceptional circumstances, using the local plan process. A local authority should consider releasing land from Green Belt only if it can be fully evidenced that it has explored all other reasonable options for meeting its development needs. This includes using suitable brownfield land for development.
Due to the Secretary of State's quasi-judicial role in the planning system, the Department cannot comment on specific local planning matters. The reasons for the conclusions reached in this case by the Planning Inspector are set out in full in the decision letter of 14 June 2021, which is publicly available online. Decisions may be challenged by making an application for permission to the High Court within 6 weeks from the date of the decision.
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 decision of the Planning Inspector of 14 June 2021 on the Roundhouse Farm development, whether the National Planning Policy Framework will include explicit protections for the green belt.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is firmly committed to protecting and enhancing the Green Belt, in line with our manifesto. The National Planning Policy Framework already provides strong protections for the Green Belt. It states that inappropriate development on Green Belt land should be refused planning permission unless it is justified by very special circumstances. Moreover, local authorities may not alter the boundaries of Green Belt land unless in exceptional circumstances, using the local plan process. A local authority should consider releasing land from Green Belt only if it can be fully evidenced that it has explored all other reasonable options for meeting its development needs. This includes using suitable brownfield land for development.
Due to the Secretary of State's quasi-judicial role in the planning system, the Department cannot comment on specific local planning matters. The reasons for the conclusions reached in this case by the Planning Inspector are set out in full in the decision letter of 14 June 2021, which is publicly available online. Decisions may be challenged by making an application for permission to the High Court within 6 weeks from the date of the decision.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment his Department has made of the level of demand for housebuilding in (a) Stockport constituency and (b) Greater Manchester.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It is for local authorities to calculate their local housing need figure based on the standard method we have set out in guidance. In 2018, we introduced a standard method for assessing local housing need to make the process of identifying the number of homes needed in an area simple, quick and transparent. This comprises a baseline of household projections which are adjusted to take account of affordability, capped to make the increase realistic for areas - and, in December 2020, we added a 35% uplift for the 20 most populated urban areas to ensure that the standard method was consistent with the aim to deliver 300,000 homes a year. This included Manchester, but did not include Stockport
The standard method is used by councils as a guide when they develop their local plans. Councils decide their own housing requirement once they have considered their ability to meet their own needs in their area. This includes taking local circumstances and constraints, including Green Belt, into account, and working with neighbouring authorities if it would be more appropriate for needs to be met elsewhere. This recognises that not everywhere will be able to meet their housing need in full. Each plan is subject to a public examination in front of an independent Inspector, who plays an important role in examining plans impartially to ensure that they are legally compliant and sound.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the process is by which land that has been removed from the green belt can be returned to the green belt.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Local authorities are responsible for creating and protecting Green Belt. Our National Planning Policy Framework states that a local authority can take land out of Green Belt only in exceptional circumstances, through the local plan process. Similarly, if a local authority considers that certain land would, and should, serve the purposes of Green Belt as set out in the Framework, it could propose the new designation as a policy in a revised local plan, and consult the local community. After any further revision, the draft plan would be submitted for formal examination in public by an independent Planning Inspector, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State. The plan (including any new Green Belt boundary) is checked thoroughly to confirm whether it is sound: that is, positively prepared, justified, effective, and consistent with the Framework.
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 local authorities are permitted to deregister green belt land to make sites available for development; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
This Government is firmly committed to protecting and enhancing the Green Belt, in line with our manifesto. There are strong protections for the Green Belt in place. Through national planning policy, local authorities may not alter the boundaries of Green Belt land unless in exceptional circumstances, which must take place through the local plan process. A local authority should consider releasing land from Green Belt only if it can fully evidence that it has explored all other reasonable options for meeting its development needs. This includes using suitable brownfield land for development.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
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 it his policy to retain current protections afforded to greenbelt areas in future Government planning proposals.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
This Government has a manifesto commitment to protect and enhance the Green Belt. Our National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that a local authority can take land out of Green Belt only in exceptional circumstances, through the local plan process, and only if it can demonstrate that it has explored all other reasonable options. These strong protections for Green Belt land will remain firmly in place.