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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether planning permission should only be granted in a tilted balance scenario where there is evidence that delivery of the proposal would fall within the 5 year housing land supply period.

It is for the relevant decision maker to determine the weight to give to relevant policies in light of the specific facts and circumstances of any given planning application, including in the application of the tilted balance.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals for a revised presumption in favour of sustainable development, underpinning the way the new policies direct different forms of development to the most appropriate locations – in effect applying a permanent presumption in favour of suitably located development.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.