Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to increase funding for the building of social housing in rural areas.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 25804 on 10 February 2025.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to extend the right to acquire to tenants living in rural areas.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In "designated rural areas" properties cannot be sold under the Right to Acquire so as to preserve social housing in perpetuity for local people. The government has no plans to change this.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will take steps to ensure that new build houses will not be placed in (a) coastal areas at risk for rising sea levels and erosion and (b) upstream flood areas that will also be at risk for rising sea levels.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
National planning policy is clear that development should be directed to areas with the lowest possible flood risk from all sources, including from the sea.
Where development is proposed in areas at risk of the impacts of coastal change, development should not be approved unless it can be demonstrated that it will be safe for its lifetime.
Development proposals would have to pass these robust tests to proceed in such locations.