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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it his policy to make Clinical Commissioning Groups statutory consultees for development applications for 500 or more dwellings.

The list of statutory consultees is under constant review. Whilst particular organisations or bodies might not be statutory consultees on planning applications, they can work proactively with local councils to identify developments where they might have an interest and can comment on proposals within the statutory public consultation period. The decision to grant or refuse a planning application ultimately rests with the local planning authority, who will take into account all relevant planning considerations and not just the advice from one consultee.

It is important that local planning authorities prepare, and keep up to date, a local plan as the primary basis for identifying what development is needed in an area. Local Plans provide certainty for communities, businesses and developers and ensure development is supported by the right infrastructure.