Oral Answers to Questions

Thangam Debbonaire Excerpts

Monday 30th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Housing and Planning (Alok Sharma)]

Planning conditions should, of course, only be imposed where they are necessary and meet the other requirements of national policy. What I can say more widely is that we are making changes in the planning system: planning fees are being increased, which will ensure there is more money in the planning authorities; and we are also looking at requiring an increase in build-out rates.

[Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab)]

T2. In Bristol, university expansion means that a significant increase in student numbers is putting pressure on stretched local services right now, yet student accommodation providers contribute almost nothing to the costs. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss bringing student accommodation within the scope of business rates, like other businesses, to help to ease this strain on Bristol and other councils?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Marcus Jones)]

I can confirm to the hon. Lady that we have no plans to change business rates by bringing student accommodation into their scope as she advocates.