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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what accounts taken of the fact that applicants have camped illegally on land for which they are applying for permission when considering planning applications.

Planning applications are decided in accordance with the development plan in place for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. This is a matter for the relevant local planning authority to decide on a case-by-case basis.

The Government is clear that unauthorised development is unacceptable and unfair to the majority who abide by the rules.

The Government introduced a planning policy on 31 August 2015 to make intentional unauthorised development a material consideration that would be weighed in the determination of planning applications and appeals.