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, with reference to paragraph 45 of Annex 10 of the Impact Assessment for the Planning and Infrastucture Bill, published on 6 May 2025, whether the 374k net additions per year from 2027 will apply from the beginning of the (a) 2026-27 financial year, (b) 2027-28 financial year or (c) calendar year 2027.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 55284 on 10 June 2025.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to encourage developers to begin building promptly after planning permission is 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 55898 on 9 June 2025.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
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 publish the funding allocation for planning enforcement for local authorities for the next (a) year and (b) five years; and what steps she is taking (i) to ensure timely enforcement action in cases of alleged breaches and (ii) with local authorities to help improve enforcement capacity.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local planning authorities do not receive a standalone funding allocation for planning enforcement.
Planning enforcement is at the discretion of local planning authorities and it is for them to decide when and how they use the powers available to them depending on the circumstances of any given case.
Resourcing planning departments remains a priority for this government.
On 25 February 2025, the draft Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2025 were agreed. These regulations increase planning fees for householder and other applications, with a view to providing much-needed additional resources for hard-pressed LPAs.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill also includes provisions that will allow LPAs to set planning fees or charges at a level that reflects the individual costs to the LPA to carry out the function for which it is imposed and to ensure that the income from planning fees or charges is applied towards the delivery of the planning function.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to issue updated (a) guidance and (b) statutory requirements to (i) discourage planning applicants from providing supporting information in stages and (ii) support local planning authorities in managing delays caused by incomplete submissions.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework encourages early engagement between applicants and local planning authorities.
Pre-application discussions can help avoid disputes and reduce delays by allowing an applicant and local planning authority to agree what information is required before an application is submitted.
Asked by: Sonia Kumar (Labour - Dudley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take to help support councils to require developers to (a) complete and (b) refurbish (i) building sites and (ii) existing empty buildings.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) for 2021-26 allows a proportion of programme delivery to come from new build and second-hand home acquisitions and funding replacement homes on regeneration schemes where there is a positive impact on overall housing supply.
Local authorities can also access funding through the AHP and Local Authority Housing Fund to bring homes back into use. Where funding, tax, and informal approaches are ineffective, local authorities can use formal enforcement levers to bring homes back into use such as Empty Dwelling Management Orders and Compulsory Purchase Orders.
The government recognise the frustrations that stalled or delayed sites can cause to communities.
Once housebuilders have been granted permission for residential development, meeting local housing needs and preferences, we expect to see them built out as quickly as possible.
Local planning authorities already have powers to issue a completion notice to require a developer to complete their development if it is stalled. If they fail to do so, the planning permission for the development will lapse.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes policies designed to support increased build out rates, including the promotion of mixed tenure development.
On 25 May, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out (which can be found on gov.uk here) inviting views on further action the government should take to speed up homes being built.
On the same day, we launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential development, which includes proposals to implement provisions in Section 113 of the LURA on the power to decline to determine applications. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the government intends bring forward the regulations to implement these measures at the earliest practical opportunity with the new build out reporting framework coming into force from 2026.
Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use where development has not taken place in accordance with the planning permission given. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case.
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, what guidance she has issued to local planning authorities on the redaction of the internal layout of proposed developments from (a) planning (i) officers and (ii) councillors and (b) the wider public.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have not issued specific guidance to local planning authorities on redacting internal layouts of proposed developments.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of permitted development rights on (a) community engagement with and (b) levels of local oversight for planning; and what steps she is taking to ensure that all developments of a significant scale require local (i) consultation and (ii) scrutiny at the planning stage.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Where permitted development rights consent development which could have local impacts, a prior approval process can allow for consideration of specified planning matters by the local planning authority and the local community.
Planning law requires local planning authorities to publicise applications for planning permission and consult any relevant statutory bodies for a minimum of 21 days. The local planning authority must not determine the application until after this period. This is 30 days if the development is subject to Environmental Impact Assessment.
The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.
Asked by: Juliet Campbell (Labour - Broxtowe)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to simplify the planning permission process for pubs.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should plan positively for the provision and use of community facilities, such as pubs.
On 28 May 2025, the government published the Planning Reform Working Paper: Reforming Site Thresholds (which can be found on gov.uk here) which seeks views on taking a gradated approach to the system as a whole – removing and streamlining disproportionate requirements on small and medium sites, while maintaining and strengthening requirements on major development.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 make an assessment on the potential implications for her policies on New Towns of the decision to end Chartered Town Planning Level 7 apprenticeship funding.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport supporting the delivery of transport infrastructure through the planning system.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
My Department continues to work closely with the Department for Transport on matters relating to transport infrastructure and planning, as appropriate.