Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
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 emergency powers granted to local authorities during the covid-19 outbreak are not being used to avoid local consultation and opposition on planning decisions.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government has made clear that local planning authorities should continue to prioritise decision-making during these challenging times to ensure that the planning system continues to function, especially when this will support the local economy.
Local planning authorities are still required to undertake a formal period of public consultation of no less than 21 days, prior to deciding a planning application. Until the consultation period has closed the local planning authority may not determine the application.
The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure, Listed Buildings and Environmental Impact Assessment) (England) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 has introduced temporary regulations to supplement the existing statutory publicity arrangements. Local planning authorities (and applicants of EIA development under the Town and Country Planning Act) now have the flexibility to take other reasonable steps to publicise applications if they cannot discharge the specific requirements for site notices, neighbour notifications or newspaper publicity.
The Government has also introduced legislation to allow council committee meetings to be held virtually for a temporary period. The Planning Advisory Service has produced guidance for local planning authorities on how to adapt their planning services in response to Covid-19, including information on planning committees.
These measures will ensure sufficient public participation in the planning process is maintained.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the outstanding number of dwellings for which planning permission has been granted.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
As of 29 May 2020, there were circa 894,000 residential units with detailed planning permission granted on sites which had not yet been completed. Of these, circa 457,000 have started on site and circa 438,000 are yet to start on site (outstanding). Of those yet to start, circa 356,000 are progressing towards a start.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to secure the reopening of public lavatories.
Answered by Luke Hall
We strongly encourage public toilets to be open wherever possible. We’ve published guidance to help operators ensure facilities are safe where they are open including increasing cleaning of touch points
The Government has published guidance on safer public spaces. It includes advice, information and examples of the potential interventions that can be used in public places to facilitate social distancing in areas of higher footfall such as in parks (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safer-public-places-urban-centres-and-green-spacescovid-19). Owners and operators are advised to implement cleaning protocols to limit coronavirus transmission in public places. It is advised that touch points (e.g. handrails and gates) should be particular areas of focus for increased cleaning.
We have now made £3.2 billion available to local authorities through an unringfenced grant so they can address pressures they are facing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The package recognises the additional costs and pressures on finances councils are facing as a result of the current crisis. It demonstrates the Government’s commitment to making sure councils, including upper and lower tier authorities, have the resources they need to support their communities through this challenging time. Local authorities are best placed to understand how to meet the major COVID-19 service pressures and spending needs in their local area, this funding will not be ringfenced. The funding can be used across all local services facing pressures.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish the regulations under the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.
Answered by Simon Clarke
On 3 November 2019 we announced we were contracting with the British Standards Institution (BSI) to develop the Code of Practice as a British Standard. Work with BSI commenced in December 2019, and they are now convening a group of key stakeholders, representing consumers and the industry, to write the Code.
We have previously committed to developing the final Code this year, and prior to this a full public consultation will take place to give the parking industry, the public and other interested parties the opportunity to have a say. Now, our priority is to work with local authorities and the parking industry to respond to Covid-19.