Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will require the York planning inspectors to develop an evidence-based Local Plan.

The Local Plan remains at examination and the independent Inspector plays an important role in examining plans impartially to ensure that they are legally compliant and sound.

Due to the quasi-judicial role of Ministers in the plan, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on a plan at examination. It is for the independent Inspectors to address these issues.

Only in exceptional circumstances may a local authority alter a Green Belt boundary – using its local plan – and only if it can show evidenced justification that it has examined all other reasonable options for meeting its identified development needs.

The Inspectors intend to hold further hearings in line with an indicative timetable between February and June to revisit a number of topic areas in order to move the examination forward as efficiently and effectively as possible.

It is important to ensure that progress on the York local plan is maintained and the Inspectors given the opportunity to issue their final report. The Government has set a deadline for all local planning authorities to have up-to-date local plans by the end of 2023. This will help deliver the certainty that local communities and businesses deserve.