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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the National Planning Policy Framework will require local plans to include biodiversity protection.

This Government is committed to protecting our natural environment. We consulted on the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which included that plans should, amongst other things, identify and map components of local wildlife-rich habitats, including the hierarchy of designated sites of importance for biodiversity as well as to identify and pursue opportunities for securing measurable net gains for biodiversity. The consultation closed on 10 May 2018 and we are currently considering responses. The revised NPPF and the Government’s response will be published this summer and will ensure that the homes the country needs are built and the environment protected.