Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Housing of 30 September 2020, Official Report columns 439-40, when he plans to implement a legal requirement that homes created under permitted development rights to convert offices and warehouses to residential use must meet the same space standards as those applying to newly built dwellings.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We laid regulations before Parliament on 11 November which introduced a requirement that all homes delivered through permitted development rights meet, at a minimum, the nationally described space standards. This requirement will come into effect on 6 April 2021 and will apply to applications for prior approval submitted on or after that date.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of proposals in the Planning for the Future White Paper, published in August 2020 on prioritisation of brownfield over (a) greenfield and (b) agricultural land.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government continues to prioritise brownfield redevelopment. The reforms put forward in our White Paper Planning for the Future made clear that local authorities need to give preference to the re-use of suitable brownfield and under-used land wherever possible, as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. Brownfield redevelopment is being boosted by funding such as the £4.5 billion Home Building Fund, the £4.1 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund, and the £400 million Brownfield Fund.
We recognise the importance of greenfield and agricultural land. The Framework makes clear that local authorities should recognise the character and beauty of the countryside and the benefits from natural capital and ecosystem services, including woodland and our best and most versatile farmland.
The White Paper consultation closed on 29 October 2020 and we are currently considering the responses received. The Government will publish a response which will set out any decisions and associated proposed implementation.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
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 Planning for the Future White Paper published in August 2020, what procedure he proposes will be used to enable local communities to scrutinise individual development proposals in each of the proposed Growth, Renewal and Protected zones after a local plan is in place.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We have consulted on these proposals and have welcomed responses from all interested parties. It is important that we analyse the consultation feedback thoroughly, and we will respond formally in due course.
Effective community engagement would be at the heart of changes which we have proposed. Input at the stage of preparing plans and design codes would ensure real influence over both the location and design of development. Communities would continue to have a say where the details of proposals are being applied for, and where planning permission continues to be required.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will amend the planning system to strengthen the requirements on the amount of outdoor space to be provided with new housing developments.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The importance of including open space in development is clear from our policy and guidance. The National Planning Policy Framework encourages developments that promote health and well-being, with a high standard of amenity for existing and future users. It says that planning policies should assess the need for different types of open space in each area, and then seek to accommodate it. In their report the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission made nature one of their priority themes and noted that green spaces should be integral to the urban fabric. We welcome their recommendations and look forward to responding to their report in due course
The supporting National Design Guide shows how high quality and attractive open spaces can be integral to new development, to encourage physical activity and promote health, well-being and social inclusion.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will seek to amend planning rules to encourage the building of homes with gardens in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The National Planning Policy Framework encourages local planning policies and decisions to ensure developments create places that promote health and well-being with a high standard of amenity for existing and future users. The supporting National Design Guide recognises that well-designed shared and private amenity space, including gardens, can promote quality of life for the occupants and users of buildings, and are flexible to adapt to the changing needs of their users over time.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of recommendations on the cost of leasehold enfranchisement contained in the Law Commission's report, entitled Leasehold home ownership: buying your freehold or extending your lease: Report on options to reduce the price payable, published on 9 January 2020.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is carefully considering the proposals outlined in the Law Commission’s report Leasehold home ownership: buying your freehold or extending your lease, Report on options to reduce the price payable and will set out its preferred way forward in due course.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to ensure that planning decisions are not made during the covid-19 lockdown in the event that residents are prevented from engagement in the planning process as a result of social distancing rules.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government has made clear that local planning authorities should continue to prioritise decision-making during these challenging times to ensure that the planning system continues to function, especially when this when this will support the local economy.
Local planning authorities are still required to undertake a formal period of public consultation of no less than 21 days, prior to deciding a planning application.
Effective consultation allows local planning authorities to identify and consider all relevant planning issues associated with a proposed development. Where relevant considerations are raised by local residents, these must be taken into account by the local authority.
Most planning applications are determined by planning officers through a local authority’s scheme of delegation. Where decisions need to be made by committee, we have introduced legislation that allow council planning committee meetings to be held virtually.
Local planning authorities should take an innovative approach, using all options available to them including their use of technology and electronic communication, to ensure that planning decisions are made and sufficient public participation in the planning process is maintained. The Government is working with the Planning Advisory Service to publish further advice on ways this can be achieved.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure effective public engagement with the planning process during the social distancing rules in place in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government has made clear that local planning authorities should continue to prioritise decision-making during these challenging times to ensure that the planning system continues to function, especially when this when this will support the local economy.
Local planning authorities are still required to undertake a formal period of public consultation of no less than 21 days, prior to deciding a planning application.
Effective consultation allows local planning authorities to identify and consider all relevant planning issues associated with a proposed development. Where relevant considerations are raised by local residents, these must be taken into account by the local authority.
Most planning applications are determined by planning officers through a local authority’s scheme of delegation. Where decisions need to be made by committee, we have introduced legislation that allow council planning committee meetings to be held virtually.
Local planning authorities should take an innovative approach, using all options available to them including their use of technology and electronic communication, to ensure that planning decisions are made and sufficient public participation in the planning process is maintained. The Government is working with the Planning Advisory Service to publish further advice on ways this can be achieved.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to tackle fraudulent sub-letting of social housing.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government supported and implemented the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013 which makes it a criminal offence to unlawfully sublet social housing. It also allows the court to award the social landlord the profit the tenant has made from their unlawful sub-letting, regardless of whether the landlord has incurred a loss.
Between 2011 and 2015 the Department provided £19 million to local authorities to help them tackle tenancy fraud; and supported a team within the Chartered Institute of Housing to provide advice and support to all social landlords.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions have taken place between (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have held with (i) TfL and (ii) the Mayor of London on plans to build on land around High Barnet, Cockfosters and Finchley Central underground stations within the last 12 months.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
There have been no discussions between MHCLG and (i) TfL or (ii) the Mayor of London regarding building on land around High Barnet, Cockfosters and Finchley Central underground stations.