Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities have up-to-date Local Plans.

The latest available figures show that only 27% of local planning authorities have adopted a plan in the last five years.

In order to deliver the homes and growth the country needs, we expect all local planning authorities to make every effort to get up-to-date local plans in place as soon as possible. As a government, we have made a clear commitment to achieving universal local plan coverage. To that end, we have been clear that we intend to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible.

The government is committed to taking tough action to ensure local authorities have up-to-date local plans in place. The law provides intervention powers for the government to take action to ensure that plans are progressed. Any decisions taken in relation to intervention in plan-making are considered on a case-by-case basis and take into account local circumstances.