Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - 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 AI to generate planning objections to energy infrastructure proposals, and the implications for the operation of the planning system.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Representations on major infrastructure projects, such as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects are designed to support the Examining Authority to identify and understand relevant matters in an application. Providing a representation is received within the allotted timeframe, is from a real person, includes a reason or reasons for that person's position and is not vexatious, it will be accepted. Once accepted, the topic(s) raised will be factored into the examination preparation and design. Submissions which simply repeat generic elements add less value and repetitive submissions, however produced, could be disregarded under the legal rules.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - 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 artificial intelligence to generate objections to planning applications.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are aware of concerns that AI could be used to generate objections to planning applications, and the impacts this may have on local planning authorities and the Planning Inspectorate. We are considering this and the role of AI more generally in the planning system and want to ensure that an appropriate balance is reached.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that construction of AI data centres is compatible with energy infrastructure capacity and statutory environmental targets.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires local planning authorities to plan for growth sustainably, taking account of infrastructure needs and environmental impacts. It also ensures planning decisions contribute to meeting statutory environmental targets, including by preventing unacceptable pollution and protecting local environments. Planning authorities must also consider water and wastewater capacity, with the cross-government Water Delivery Taskforce helping to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with growth.
Subject to draft Regulations that are currently before Parliament being in place, environmental impacts, including energy and water impacts will be assessed as part of the overall consideration and determination of data centre projects that have been directed to proceed through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects consenting process.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will further streamline consenting while maintaining strong environmental safeguards.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce planning restrictions on the construction of AI data centres.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that planning policies should pay particular regard to facilitating development to meet the needs of a modern economy, including by identifying suitable locations for uses such as data centres.
We laid the draft Infrastructure Planning (Business or Commercial Projects) (Amendment) Regulations in Parliament on 15 October which, if approved, will enable developers of certain proposed data centres on request to ‘opt in’ to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects consenting regime. To support this change, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will prepare a new National Policy Statement for data centres which will set out the national policy for this sector and the policy framework for decision-making for data centre developments under that regime.
We are exploring whether further measures may be appropriate to support the delivery of AI infrastructure and will engage with the sector on this.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure new houses are not built on areas prone to flooding without necessary defences in place.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government is committed to building the homes the country needs while ensuring they are safe from flooding.
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk. Where development is, exceptionally, found to be justified in areas at risk of flooding, the Framework requires that it be appropriately flood resistant and resilient, and safe for its lifetime.
Local planning authorities should consider the use of conditions or planning obligations to make development acceptable, which may include flood mitigation works. They have powers to take enforcement action against any breach of planning requirements.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how the Old Trafford Regeneration Project will impact the surrounding area, and how they intend to support the project.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There is significant economic and growth potential around Old Trafford. The development has the potential to make a strong contribution to Greater Manchester’s economy as well as the Government’s growth mission. Making the most of this potential will require co-ordinated and long-term leadership by the Mayor and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), working in partnership with Government and private sector interests. GMCA will receive an integrated funding settlement worth over £600m per annum, starting from 2025-26, and empowering them to drive local growth and invest in local priorities.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - 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 level of new house building, and what plans they have to aid the development of new homes.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have recommitted in our Plan for Change to deliver 1.5m homes over this Parliament to solve the housing crisis and boost economic growth.
This government has inherited an acute housing crisis and has taken urgent action to fix this, including through bold planning reform and an £800m top up to the current Affordable Homes Programme.
Housing delivery, particularly major developments, takes time, so we expect housing supply to ramp up over the parliamentary term as our changes take effect.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that house prices and rental costs remain affordable.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Boosting the supply of homes across all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to improve housing affordability. This is why the Government’s Plan for Change includes the ambitious milestone of delivering 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament.
We are also committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. At the Budget, the Chancellor announced a cash injection of £500 million to the Affordable Homes Programme to deliver up to 5,000 additional affordable homes.
We will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for Social Rent.
The Government has also committed to introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme to support first-time buyers who struggle to save for a large deposit from tenants looking to secure a tenancy.
We are taking action on affordability in the private rented sector through the Renters’ Rights Bill which will empower tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases, as well as end the practice of rental bidding and prohibit landlords from demanding more than one month’s rent in advance.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support local councils in achieving their target for 1.5 million new homes.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government is committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over this parliament, and we have already taken decisive action to support councils to play their part in delivering a generational increase in social and affordable housing.
On 30 July, we confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts, and a further £450 million for councils through the Local Authority Housing Fund enabling councils to grow their housing stock.
At the Budget on 30 October, the Chancellor set out details of an immediate one-year cash injection of £500 million to top up the existing Affordable Homes Programme which will deliver up to 5,000 new social and affordable homes, with bidding open to councils and other social landlords. This comes ahead of the multi-year Spending Review next spring, where the Government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme.
The Chancellor also confirmed that we will reduce Right to Buy discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels and allow councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales to better protect council stock and accelerate the replacement of those homes sold. The government is consulting on wider reforms to the Right to Buy and also on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement to provide councils and all providers with the certainty they need to invest in new social housing.
We consulted on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system from 30 July until 24 September 2024. We have now reviewed the available evidence and feedback from the consultation and published our formal response. This response outlines a number of changes in planning policy designed to support the delivery of affordable homes, including more for Social Rent, and implementing golden rules to ensure development in the Green Belt is in the public interest.
We will work in partnership with councils and providers to build capacity and ensure we build the homes people need.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce barriers to building more houses in relation to environmental regulations.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The current systems of environmental assessment have become increasingly complicated, inaccessible and are failing to deliver the environmental outcomes we need. We are committed to achieving win-win outcomes for the economy and for nature and are considering how the powers to introduce Environmental Outcomes Reports can drive improvements.
Alongside this, we are working-up proposals to use development to fund nature recovery where currently both are stalled. Our commitment to the environment is unwavering which is why we will only act in legislation where we can confirm to Parliament that the steps we are taking will deliver positive environmental outcomes.