Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what role the National Infrastructure Commission has in overseeing the number of houses built on public land.
Answered by Lord Barwell
The remit of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is set out in the NIC’s framework document, published in January 2017. The NIC has a mandate to examine all sectors of economic infrastructure; it does not have a role in overseeing the number of homes built on public land. While the NIC will not make recommendations on social infrastructure, it will consider the potential impact of infrastructure decisions on housing supply.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to strengthen Neighbourhood Plans; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Barwell
We have strengthened Neighbourhood Planning through the Neighbourhood Planning (General) and Development Management Procedure (Amendment) Regulations 2016 that implement powers in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 and proposed measures in the Neighbourhood Planning Bill. In addition, my recent Neighbourhood Planning written ministerial statement of 12 December 2016 further strengthened Neighbourhood Planning by making it clear that where communities have planned for housing in their area through a recent neighbourhood plan, that those relevant policies should not be deemed to be “out-of-date” unless there is a significant lack of land supply for housing in the wider local authority area.
The Government has made available £22.5 million to support Neighbourhood Planning through the 2015-18 support programme. The Housing White Paper 2017 set out our intention to make further funding available to neighbourhood planning groups from 2018-2020.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who will be eligible for funding from the Housing Infrastructure Fund.
Answered by Lord Barwell
The £2.3 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund, announced at Autumn Statement 2016, will deliver up to 100,000 additional new homes through targeted investment in infrastructure in the areas of greatest housing need. It will support local authorities who are ambitious to meet their identified housing need, or go further, and those who have the strategic vision to work together. Local authorities will be able to bid for grant funding to support delivery of physical infrastructure necessary to unlock housing growth. Details of how the fund will operate will be set out when it is launched later this spring.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has given to planning inspectors on the limitations of development arising from (a) inadequate transport and social infrastructure and (b) national areas being designated as requiring protection.
Answered by Lord Barwell
The Government’s planning policies for sustainable development are set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Framework constitutes guidance for local planning authorities and decision takers, including planning inspectors, both in drawing up plans and as a material consideration in determining planning applications.
The Framework expects local authorities to plan for the development and infrastructure required in their area, including infrastructure for transport. They should also set out their strategic priorities and policies to deliver health, community and cultural infrastructure and other local facilities. The cumulative impact of development, and the need for infrastructure to support development, are material considerations in deciding whether development is appropriate. The Framework also sets out policies for conserving and enhancing the natural environment, including strong protection for National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
The Framework is supported by planning practice guidance.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he last met the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership.
Answered by Andrew Percy
The Secretary of State has not met the Chairman or Chief Executive of the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the means of accountability are to central government of the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership.
Answered by Andrew Percy
Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are accountable to local areas through their lead local authority, known as the accountable body. In the case of Coast to Capital LEP this is West Sussex County Council.
Government has a robust system of assurance in place for LEPs set out in the National Assurance Framework, published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/567528/161109_LEP_Assurance_Framework.pdf.
This document sets out the requirement for LEPs to have in place the necessary systems and processes to manage delegated funding from central government budgets effectively.
The accountable local authority is required to write to my department’s permanent secretary each year to confirm that their LEP is compliant with the rules set out in the National Assurance Framework.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has given to planning inspectors on the weight given to infrastructure issues in new developments.
Answered by Lord Barwell
The National Planning Policy Framework and planning guidance is clear that Local Plans should consider what infrastructure is needed to support development, and how and when it can be provided. The cumulative impact of development, and the need for infrastructure to support it, are material considerations in deciding whether development is appropriate. The weight to be given to infrastructure issues is a matter for the decision taker to assess, taking into account the particular circumstances of each case.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when the new chairman of the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership will be appointed; and when the present such incumbent's term will expire.
Answered by Andrew Percy
The Chairman of Coast to Capital is appointed by the Board in accordance with the Local Enterprise Partnership’s Articles of Association. These provide for the Chairman to serve a three year term, which may be renewed once. I understand that the current Chairman’s first term is due to expire in May 2017.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the transport, road, waste and energy infrastructure in (a) West Sussex and (b) Mid Sussex constituency for current and projected demand for housing; and if he will review the infrastructure in (i) West Sussex and (ii) Mid Sussex constituency in the light of current and projected demand for housing.
Answered by Lord Barwell
In producing their Local Plan, an authority should set out their strategic priorities to deliver housing need and infrastructure in their area. These plans must be examined by an independent Inspector, appointed by the Secretary of State, who will consider the adequacy of infrastructure to support future development (based on the Council’s evidence) as part of a wider consideration into the soundness of the Plan. All the local planning authorities within West Sussex have either got an adopted Local Plan which has been found sound at examination, or a plan which is currently being examined, such as Mid Sussex.
The Local Growth Fund has made over £7 billion available to Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) to spend on local priority projects which unlock housing and create infrastructure to generate economic growth. A further round of Growth Deal funding worth up to £1.8 billion is available to LEPs. The results will be announced towards the end of the year.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides on the design and construction of affordable housing.
Answered by Lord Barwell
The Homes and Communities Agency has published a number of guidance documents around design and sustainability providing practical, delivery related knowledge, research findings and good practice. The Department has also published the Starter Homes Design Guide. I have supplied the relevant links below.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/starter-homes-design
https://www.gov.uk/topic/housing/design-and-sustainability
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/capital-funding-guide-hca