Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the quality of pre-application advice, and what steps they are taking to ensure the quality of pre-application advice.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government strongly encourages local planning authorities to utilise best practice guidance for pre-application engagement and Planning Performance Agreements published by the Planning Advisory Service. This is available here. Most local planning authorities will offer some form of pre-application advice service, but we have no plans to make this a mandatory function.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to make pre-application advice a compulsory service offered by local planning authorities.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government strongly encourages local planning authorities to utilise best practice guidance for pre-application engagement and Planning Performance Agreements published by the Planning Advisory Service. This is available here. Most local planning authorities will offer some form of pre-application advice service, but we have no plans to make this a mandatory function.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage the sympathetic conversion of historic buildings into new homes to support their housing targets.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Planning Policy Framework is already supportive of bringing heritage assets back into use, putting them to viable uses consistent with their conservation. We will continue to consider this matter as we develop our approach to heritage policy including through the creation of a suite of national policies related to decision making.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of empty listed buildings; and how they can be brought back into use.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Planning Policy Framework is already supportive of bringing heritage assets back into use, putting them to viable uses consistent with their conservation. We will continue to consider this matter as we develop our approach to heritage policy including through the creation of a suite of national policies related to decision making.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of National Listed Building Consent Orders for alterations such as (1) secondary glazing, (2) roof re-tiling, including full strip and re-tile, and (3) any other routine works.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Listed Building Consent Orders are a useful mechanism to allow for streamlining in the decision making process for regular works unlikely to cause harm to heritage assets. We are aware of examples across the country where local authorities have introduced these, including for secondary glazing and other routine works. A national listed building consent order has not yet been introduced.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have considered applying deemed consent to listed building consent applications.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government has no plans to apply deemed consent to listed building consent applications when a local planning authority has failed to determine such application within the statutory time period given the potential impacts of any proposed work to listed buildings. Applicants can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate if local planning authority has not determined a listed building consent application on time.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to extending permitted development rights on listed buildings to include (1) electric vehicle chargers, (2) small garden sheds, (3) small garden ponds and (4) fences.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce charges for listed building consent applications.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Planning fees in England are set by the Secretary of State. Local planning authorities cannot charge a fee for listed building consent applications.
Under the government’s proposals for localised fee setting in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the government may continue to prescribe where a fee should not be charged for a particular type of application.
The government intends to consult on the details of localised fee setting later this year.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the case for permitted development rights for listed properties to be extended to the installation of solar panels not visible from street level.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have no such plans at present. However, we will keep the matter under review as we develop our planning policy on heritage matters.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow the owners of listed buildings to install electric vehicle chargers within the curtilage of their property without the need for listed property or planning permission.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have no such plans at present. However, we will keep the matter under review as we develop our planning policy on heritage matters.