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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason she called in the Highsted Park outline planning applications.

The decision to call in this application was made on the basis of the policy set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 26 October 2012. In line with the Written Ministerial Statement of 26 March 2019, we do not give specific reasons for calling in planning applications.

A public inquiry into the proposals will now take place, overseen by an independent Planning Inspector. Once the inquiry has concluded, the Inspector will prepare a report and recommendation for Ministers. A target date for determining the applications will be set when that report is received in MHCLG.

No discussions or meetings have taken place with the developers. Correspondence which outlined the scheme, and requested a meeting, but which did not seek call in of the applications was received. In addition, among a number of written requests to call in these applications, one was received from a project director of the developers, and one from their planning consultants.