Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will publish further guidance to Local Planning Authorities on the weight given in the planning balance to a failure to comply with the Golden Rules.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58228 on 24 June 2025.
The government’s planning practice guidance on viability makes clear that where development is subject to the ‘Golden Rules’, site specific viability assessment should not be used for the purpose of reducing developer contributions. The guidance is available on gov.uk here. We are currently reviewing planning practice guidance and will publish updates in due course.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he collects data on the number of data centre developments consented under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime; and what estimate he has made of the total land area associated with those projects.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
No data centres have yet been consented under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects consenting process.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Green Belt protection is factored in when making decisions on new towns.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Green Belt policy is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
The NPPF is a material consideration in planning decisions.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that infrastructure upgrades are delivered alongside new housing developments arising from grey belt designations in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that ‘Golden Rules’ should apply to major development involving the provision of housing on land released from the Green Belt through plan preparation or review, or on sites in the Green Belt subject to a planning application. These ‘Golden Rules’ include necessary improvements to local or national infrastructure.
The point at which infrastructure is delivered is a matter for local planning authorities and will depend on the nature of the site. Requirements can be set out as planning conditions or agreed through section 106 planning obligations.
The government’s planning practice guidance on viability makes clear that where development is subject to the ‘Golden Rules’, site specific viability assessment should not be used for the purpose of reducing developer contributions. The guidance is available on gov.uk here. We are currently reviewing planning practice guidance and will publish updates 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, what his planned timetable if for the commencement of (a) section 48 and (b) Schedule 10 of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government intend to implement Section 48 and Schedule 10 of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 as soon as possible after we have made necessary changes in primary legislation to fix the small number of specific but serious flaws that the Act contains.
For details of those flaws I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 25972 on 6 February 2025.
Asked by: Ben Spencer (Conservative - Runnymede and Weybridge)
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 trends in the level of (a) loss and (b) damage to (i) English heritage and (ii) buildings of historic importance due to unlawful development.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has made no specific assessment of trends in relation to historic buildings and unlawful development.
The government is committed to the protection of the historic environment.
There are strong protections in both the National Planning Policy Framework and legislation to support the conservation and enhancement of heritage assets.
The government has also given local planning authorities a wide range of enforcement powers in relation to unauthorised development, including specific powers in relation to designated heritage assets, with strong penalties for non-compliance.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2025 to Question 84194 on Sites of Special Scientific Interest: Ebbsfleet, when the discussions started; whether Ministers received such representations; and whether the discussions included the Corporation requesting that the Sites of Special Scientific Interest designation was (a) removed or (b) reduced in size.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As the sponsor Department, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has always had regular discussions with Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) on matters relevant to its core objectives.
The EDC has not formally requested a review of the SSSI designation in question but continues to work with Natural England as part of an agreed Memorandum of Understanding to support wider development proposals for Ebbsfleet Central.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
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 the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question HL8844 on Affordable Housing: Finance and pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 78177 on Affordable Housing: Finance, for what reason the Social Time Preference Rate discount has not been applied to the Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
At the Spending Review, the government announced £39 billion, in nominal terms, for a new Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) over 10 years from 2026-27 to 2035-36.
Economic appraisal for the SAHP business case was carried out following HMT Green Book methodology and used the Green Book discount rate (known as the Social Time Preference Rate) to assess the economic value for money of the programme in present value terms.
I otherwise refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78177 on 3 November 2025 for further details.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 78188 on Affordable Housing: Finance, what estimate his Department has made of the 10-year cost of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme in real terms excluding inflation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
At the Spending Review, the government announced £39 billion, in nominal terms, for a new Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) over 10 years from 2026-27 to 2035-36.
Economic appraisal for the SAHP business case was carried out following HMT Green Book methodology and used the Green Book discount rate (known as the Social Time Preference Rate) to assess the economic value for money of the programme in present value terms.
I otherwise refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78177 on 3 November 2025 for further details.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
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 reject plans to establish a quarry at the former Hatfield Aerodrome.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Due to the quasi-judicial role of MHCLG Ministers in the planning system, I am unable to comment on the details of individual cases.