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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of (a) remote working and (b) housing demand outside of towns and cities; and what plans he has to (i) alleviate pressure for new homes on green spaces and (ii) help ensure new developments are affordable.

The Government recognises the importance of understanding trends and shifts in the way people live and the implications for housing demand, as well as the importance of ensuring access to green spaces and increasing the supply of affordable housing. The Department will continue to analyse trends in housing demand, including increasing demand outside of towns and cities, to gauge the nature, size and permanence of any shift in housing preferences.

The National Planning Policy Framework expects local authorities to recognise the character and beauty of the countryside and to protect and enhance Green Belt, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and other designated rural land. To further support regeneration of brownfield sites, in December, we announced changes to the standard method for assessing local housing need to increase greater need in urban areas to maximise the use of existing infrastructure, such as public transport, schools, medical facilities and shops, as well as to encourage development that reduces the need for high-carbon travel.

We are committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing nationally. At budget we announced our new £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme, the largest investment in affordable housing in a decade. Our Planning for the Future White Paper sets out proposals to create a new Infrastructure Levy, which will be designed to deliver at least as much onsite affordable housing as at present and will continue to be collected and spent at the local level.