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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of providing more clarity to Local Plans and Design Codes in order for Community Land Trusts to develop land for their local communities.

The Government intends to introduce a package of plan-making reforms next year which will make the process of preparing local development plans clearer and more transparent, as well as making it easier for communities and stakeholders, including Community Land Trusts, to engage with it.

National design guidance already highlights the importance of community consultation in the preparation of design codes. To assist neighbourhoods in preparing their own codes the department have also supported Locality, a national membership network of local community organisations, including Community Land Trusts, providing specialist advice, peer learning and resources.

In addition, our recent consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework specifically included proposals designed to strengthen support for community-led housing, including changes to the size limit on community-led exception sites and a broadening of the definition of organisations able to deliver community-led housing. The consultation closed on the 24 September and officials in my department are currently analysing responses with a view to publishing a government response before the end of the year.