Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent progress his Department has made in delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt. hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 19066 on 20 December 2024.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 make an assessment of the potential impact of the level of regulation of rented homes on landlords.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Act can be found here.
The government’s policy statement, impact assessment, and response to the Decent Homes Standard consultation can be found on gov.uk here.
The government’s response to the 2025 consultation on Improving the Energy Performance of Privately Rented Homes in England and Wales, along with the accompanying impact assessment, can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 proposals to modernise planning committees and introduce a national scheme of delegation, whether applications affecting green belt land could be determined by officers rather than elected members; what criteria will determine whether such applications are considered strategic; and how he will ensure democratic accountability for decisions involving the loss of green space.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 28 May 2025, my Department published a technical consultation on proposals for reform of planning committees. It can be found on gov.uk here.
The consultation has now closed, and we are analysing the responses with a view to consulting on draft regulations for such a National Scheme of Delegation in the coming months.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 Impact Assessment accompanying the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, what assessment he has made of the proportion of additional housing delivery expected to arise from development on green belt land; what safeguards will apply to ensure that the Bill does not result in unnecessary or irreversible loss of protected green spaces; and if he will publish an analysis of whether housing targets can be met through brownfield and urban regeneration before green belt release is considered.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 requires strategic planning authorities to have regard to the need to ensure their spatial development strategies are consistent with national policies, including those relating to Green Belt and green spaces. There are no other provisions relating to Green Belt land in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.
I otherwise refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84470 on 30 October 2025, UIN 94689 on 5 December 2025, UIN 98288 on 5 January 2026, UIN 102192 on 12 January 2026, UIN 105177 on 20 January 2026, UIN 106373 on 26 January 2026.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 new cross-boundary strategic planning mechanisms proposed in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, what assessment he has made of the level of the risk that strategic housing targets could concentrate development pressure on green belt land in authorities with strong environmental protections; what role local communities and elected councillors will retain in decision-making on green belt development; and if he will ensure that strategic planning does not override locally designated green spaces valued by residents.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 requires strategic planning authorities to have regard to the need to ensure their spatial development strategies are consistent with national policies, including those relating to Green Belt and green spaces. There are no other provisions relating to Green Belt land in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.
I otherwise refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84470 on 30 October 2025, UIN 94689 on 5 December 2025, UIN 98288 on 5 January 2026, UIN 102192 on 12 January 2026, UIN 105177 on 20 January 2026, UIN 106373 on 26 January 2026.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 accelerate planning decisions and increase housing supply, particularly in areas with acute demand.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has taken a range of steps to accelerate planning decisions and increase housing supply.
In December 2024, we published a revised pro-growth National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). We are currently consulting on further reforms to the NPPF to provide for clearer, more rules-based policies for decision-making and plan-making.
Our landmark Planning and Infrastructure Act will speed up and streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure.
It includes provisions that will facilitate the reform of planning committees so that they operate as effectively as possible and are focused on those applications which require member input and not revisiting the same decisions.
Its provisions also include powers that allow the Secretary of State to delegate planning fee-setting to local planning authorities, enabling them to recover costs and reinvest to provide a more efficient and responsive planning service, including in respect of making timelier decisions.
At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system as a one-year settlement for 2025-2026. This includes £8 million of targeted support which is being provided for local planning authorities handling the highest volumes of major residential schemes.
At the Budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor announced a further £48 million of investment over three years to support local planning authorities to attract, retain and develop skilled planners over a sustained period. Of this, £28.8 million has been allocated to MHCLG’s Planning Capacity and Capability Programme.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support is available to West Midlands local authorities to bring forward brownfield sites under the proposed changes to the planning system.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 91369 on 27 November 2025.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 how planning reforms will affect public consultation and community engagement in planning decisions in the West Midlands.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local planning authorities are required to undertake a formal period of public consultation, prior to deciding a planning application. The proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that the government is currently consulting on will not affect this requirement.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to review the performance and efficiency of the planning appeals process under forthcoming reforms.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Planning Inspectorate's Strategic Plan commits the Agency to removing all casework backlogs and meeting all Ministerial targets, including those on relating to planning appeals, by 2027. The Inspectorate regularly publishes updates on its performance.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 impact of his Department's planning reform proposals on the continued protection of green spaces and environmentally sensitive sites in the West Midlands.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Green spaces and environmentally sensitive sites continue to receive protection in national planning policy.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that open space should not be built on unless there is clear evidence it is no longer required; equivalent or better provision is secured in a suitable location; or development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the benefits of which clearly outweigh the loss of the current or former use. It also makes clear that planning decisions should conserve and enhance sites of biodiversity value and that local plans should safeguard local wildlife rich habitats and designated sites of importance for biodiversity.
In addition, the designation of land as Local Green Space allows communities to identify and protect green areas of particular importance to them.