Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
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 support local authorities that are facing (a) delays in the fulfillment of Section 106 obligations as a result of the shutdown of construction sites and (b) the risk that applicants use the covid-19 outbreak to avoid their legal obligations.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is introducing a range of measures to make it easier to operate the planning system so that it is able to play its full part in the economic recovery to come. Contributions from developers play an important role in delivering the infrastructure that new homes, and local economies, require. We will continue to work closely with local authorities and the sector to understand the issues around the use of section 106 planning obligations and will respond in due course
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
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 support the growth of manufacturing within the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The latest 2018 revision of the National Planning Policy Framework provides more detail on how significant weight should be placed on the need to support economic growth and productivity, taking into account both local business needs and wider opportunities for development, this can include the growth of manufacturing where it is relevant. The Government has made clear in the Framework that planning policies and decisions should help create the conditions in which businesses can invest, expand and adapt.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is providing to District Councils in respect of the payment of the business rate levy due during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The Government has deferred the payment of £2.6 billion which billing authorities, including district councils, were due to make over the next three months under the business rates retention scheme. The Government will also be paying authorities £9.57 billion to compensate them for waiving the business rates bills of ratepayers occupying retail, leisure and other premises, in line with the Government's policy in response to Covid-19 of reducing the rates burden on businesses.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to review the adequacy of local land charges placed on new housing developments.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
My Department has no plans to review local land charges placed on new housing developments, or more widely. HM Land Registry is working in partnership with local authorities in England to standardise and migrate local land charge data to a single register. Further information on the Programme can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hm-land-registry-local-land-charges-programme