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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to include guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework on the number of commercial vehicle parking spaces that should be included when submitting planning applications for new haulage distribution centres.

We have made our expectation clear in the National Planning Policy Framework that plans and decisions should recognise the importance of providing adequate overnight lorry parking facilities, taking into account any local shortages, to reduce the risk of parking in locations that lack proper facilities or could cause a nuisance. The Framework is also clear that proposals for new or expanded distribution centres should also make provision for sufficient lorry parking to cater for their anticipated use. We have also published planning practice guidance setting out how local planning authorities can assess the need for and allocate land to logistics land uses.

We recognise the importance of adequate overnight commercial vehicle parking facilities, and this Government is committed to addressing the national need for more and better lorry parking facilities. In co-ordination with my colleague the Secretary of State for Transport, we recently laid a Statement before this House setting out our plans to address this need. Our Statement of 8 November 2021 reminded local authorities of the pressing need to apply this policy to local plans and decisions, and committed to taking forward a review of how the freight sector is currently represented in guidance.