Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending rights to access (a) Remediation Contribution Orders through the First-tier Tribunal and (b) other lower-cost legal action to buildings under 11 metres where leaseholders need to pursue legal action to recover cladding remediation costs.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
It is generally accepted that the life safety risk is proportional to the height of buildings. The risk to life from historical fire safety defects is lower in buildings under 11m, therefore building safety related remediation works are required in a very small number of buildings under 11m.
In rare cases where remediation work is required in buildings under 11 metres, the government has retrospectively extended the limitation period under Section 1 of the Defective Premises Act 1972 enabling legal action against developers and contractors where works completed in the last 30 years made a dwelling not “fit for habitation”.
We would welcome examples of any specific cases under 11m where there are concerns to be raised with the Department for further review.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to help ensure that local communities can participate in decisions on what is built in their neighbourhood.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Our reforms to planning put local communities – and local plans – at the heart of decision making. The Government recognises the time and commitment communities put into their neighbourhood plans. Our recent updates to the National Planning Policy Framework mean that neighbourhood plans that meet their identified housing requirement are now better protected from speculative development.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the impact that the new National Planning Policy Framework will have on decisions on planning (a) applications and (b) appeals already underway at the point when it was introduced.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Except where transitional arrangements are set out in Annex 1 of the Framework, the policies in the new National Planning Policy Framework are material considerations which should be taken into account in dealing with applications and appeals from the day of its publication on 19 December 2023, including those submitted prior to this date but still under consideration.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with representatives of the insurance sector on the extent to which insurers are requesting that remediation work is carried out on properties of less than 11 metres; and whether he plans to take steps to prevent those requests being made without reasonable justification.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Where an external wall assessment carried out in line with guidance from the British Standards Institute (PAS 9980) shows acceptable risk, premiums should reflect that. Insurers should offer affordable premiums and should not be prescribing additional remedial works. The department is engaging with insurers on this matter.
It is generally accepted that risk to life is proportional to the height of buildings. There is no systemic risk in buildings under 11m, which are very unlikely to need costly remediation to make them safe.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to intervene to prevent insurers from mandating expensive building safety remediation work beyond the scope recommended by fire risk assessments.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Where an external wall assessment carried out in line with guidance from the British Standards Institute (PAS 9980) shows acceptable risk, premiums should reflect that. Insurers should offer affordable premiums and should not be prescribing additional remedial works. The department is engaging with insurers on this matter.
It is generally accepted that risk to life is proportional to the height of buildings. There is no systemic risk in buildings under 11m, which are very unlikely to need costly remediation to make them safe.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure developers take responsibility for remedying fire safety defects in blocks of under eleven metres which they have built.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government has implemented a risk-based and proportionate approach to regulating safety in residential buildings and in remediating cladding and other building safety defects. In general, the risk to life in lower-rise buildings is low and can be mitigated, for example, by installing fire alarms.
We are aware of a very small number of buildings under 11 metres where expensive remediation has been suggested. We have written to freeholders and managing agents in affected buildings to make sure that any proposed works are necessary and proportionate and the rights to redress are being fully utilised.
The Government has retrospectively extended the limitation period under Section 1 of the Defective Premises Act 1972 enabling legal action against developers and contractors where works completed in the last 30 years made a dwelling not 'fit for habitation'. This extends to buildings under 11 metres.
Any leaseholders concerned about works being proposed in their building can seek free information and advice from The Leasehold Advisory Service, funded by the Department.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the number of leaseholders in buildings of less than eleven metres who have been issued with costly bills for non-cladding fire remediation.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government has implemented a risk-based and proportionate approach to regulating safety in residential buildings and in remediating cladding and other building safety defects. In general, the risk to life in lower-rise buildings is low and can be mitigated, for example, by installing fire alarms.
We are aware of a very small number of buildings under 11 metres where expensive remediation has been suggested. We have written to freeholders and managing agents in affected buildings to make sure that any proposed works are necessary and proportionate and the rights to redress are being fully utilised.
The Government has retrospectively extended the limitation period under Section 1 of the Defective Premises Act 1972 enabling legal action against developers and contractors where works completed in the last 30 years made a dwelling not 'fit for habitation'. This extends to buildings under 11 metres.
Any leaseholders concerned about works being proposed in their building can seek free information and advice from The Leasehold Advisory Service, funded by the Department.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it his policy not to have targets for local authorities on house building.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
This Government is committed to making home ownership a reality for a new generation, and we must build homes in the places that people want to live and work. We want decisions about homes to be driven locally and we want to get more local plans in place to deliver the homes we need.
We will set out our approach on planning for housing in due course.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will ensure that ancient woodlands in the Greater London area continue to be protected in the event that they are located in an area which is to become an investment zone.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer my Rt. Hon. Friend to Question UIN71118, answered on the 2 November 2022.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will ensure that changes to planning rules in investment zones will not reduce protections for ancient woodlands.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer my Rt. Hon. Friend to Question UIN71118, answered on the 2 November 2022.