Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) the covid-19 pandemic and (b) global inflation on the delivery of housing sites in England; and whether he has made an assessment of the impact of those factors on the five-year housing supply position of local authorities.
Answered by Lucy Frazer
Despite the pandemic, housebuilders were able to deliver over 216,000 homes in England in 2020/21. Nonetheless, the Government made changes to two housing delivery tests, to mitigate disruption caused to housing delivery.
The Government recognises rising materials prices have created a challenging environment for many construction businesses, including in housebuilding, and especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. We continue to work closely with firms in the sector through the Construction Leadership Council Product Availability Group, to monitor product, material availability and mitigate the impact of price increases.
We have committed to publishing our vision for the new National Planning Policy Framework which includes our position on planning for housing.
We have set out our intention to remove the requirement for authorities to maintain a five-year housing land supply, where their plan is up to date. This will curb perceived 'speculative development', so long as plans are kept up to date.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will undertake a review of his Department's policy on the five year supply of deliverable housing sites to ensure that it takes account of economic factors affecting housebuilding; and if he will provide local planning authorities with more flexibility in the National Planning Policy Framework to protect sites from development where there is an absence of a five year supply of deliverable housing sites.
Answered by Lucy Frazer
Despite the pandemic, housebuilders were able to deliver over 216,000 homes in England in 2020/21. Nonetheless, the Government made changes to two housing delivery tests, to mitigate disruption caused to housing delivery.
The Government recognises rising materials prices have created a challenging environment for many construction businesses, including in housebuilding, and especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. We continue to work closely with firms in the sector through the Construction Leadership Council Product Availability Group, to monitor product, material availability and mitigate the impact of price increases.
We have committed to publishing our vision for the new National Planning Policy Framework which includes our position on planning for housing.
We have set out our intention to remove the requirement for authorities to maintain a five-year housing land supply, where their plan is up to date. This will curb perceived 'speculative development', so long as plans are kept up to date.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to make a decision on Housing Infrastructure Fund bids relating to Essex.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
We have so far announced nine successful Forward Funding schemes, worth more than £1.3 billion, to unlock up to 76,000 homes. All remaining bids are in assessment. Local authorities will be notified of the outcome of their bids in the coming months.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Homes England has made an assessment of the Housing Infrastructure Fund bids relating to Essex; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
We have so far announced nine successful Forward Funding schemes, worth more than £1.3 billion, to unlock up to 76,000 homes. All remaining bids are in assessment. Local authorities will be notified of the outcome of their bids in the coming months.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the three planning decisions announced on 8 July 2019 for two sites in Hatfield Peverel, for what reasons (a) the decision was made to remove 10 sites from the Braintree District Council five-year supply position and (b) there was no consultation with interested parties on those planning applications prior to removing those 10 sites; and if he will publish all relevant correspondence and representations he received regarding those 10 sites.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
In reaching his decisions on these cases, the Secretary of State took into account the wide range of issues raised, based on the detailed findings of the planning inspector who held an inquiry into these cases, and the further representations made by the various parties. The decision letters set out in detail the Secretary of State’s reasoning and conclusions. They can be found on the Department's website at:
Now that the decisions have been issued the Secretary of State has no further jurisdiction in these matters, and it would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment further on the reasons for the decisions or the merits of the schemes. Annexed to each decision letter is a schedule of all representations and correspondence received since the close of the inquiry, together with details about how copies of this material may be obtained.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the three planning decisions he announced on 8 July 2019 for the sites Gleneagles Way and Stone Path Drive in Hatfield Peverel, if he will make an assessment of the availability of public transport in Hatfield Peverel.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
In reaching his decisions on these cases, the Secretary of State took into account the wide range of issues raised, based on the detailed findings of the planning inspector who held an inquiry into these cases, and the further representations made by the various parties. The decision letters set out in detail the Secretary of State’s reasoning and conclusions. They can be found on the Department's website at:
Now that the decisions have been issued the Secretary of State has no further jurisdiction in these matters, and it would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment further on the reasons for the decisions or the merits of the schemes. Annexed to each decision letter is a schedule of all representations and correspondence received since the close of the inquiry, together with details about how copies of this material may be obtained.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the three planning decisions announced on 8 July 2019 for two sites in Hatfield Peverel, what steps he is taking to ensure the adequate provision of (a) school places and (b) health services at those sites.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
In reaching his decisions on these cases, the Secretary of State took into account the wide range of issues raised, based on the detailed findings of the planning inspector who held an inquiry into these cases, and the further representations made by the various parties. The decision letters set out in detail the Secretary of State’s reasoning and conclusions. They can be found on the Department's website at:
Now that the decisions have been issued the Secretary of State has no further jurisdiction in these matters, and it would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment further on the reasons for the decisions or the merits of the schemes. Annexed to each decision letter is a schedule of all representations and correspondence received since the close of the inquiry, together with details about how copies of this material may be obtained.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support he is providing to local communities (a) in the preparation of Neighbourhood Plans and (b) facing legal challenges from prospective developers to their Neighbourhood Plan proposals.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Government is making available £34.5 million of support for neighbourhood planning for 2018-22. This is comprised of our £26 million Neighbourhood Planning Support Programme and an additional £8.5 million funding, announced in May, to help communities bring forward affordable homes for sale in their neighbourhood plans. The revised National Planning Policy Framework confirms the important protections for neighbourhood plans and we will continue to look at ways in which Government can help strengthen and protect them.