Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure that new developments in Essex (a) protect the local environment and (b) are in-keeping with the historic style of the county.
Our National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment. The Environment Act's new requirements for biodiversity net gain will ensure that most types of new development will deliver improvements of 10 per cent, or more, for biodiversity.
The National Design Guide and National Model Design Code provide guidance to local councils to help them set standards of good design. The guidance advocates for new development that relates well to the site and surroundings, and is positively influenced by the history and heritage of the wider area.