Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the article by Dr Caglar Koksal, Incorporating health and wellbeing into housing developments, published by the University of Manchester on 27 January 2022, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of setting robust design standards for housing developments, including a requirement for health net gain.

Setting design standards for housing developments is the responsibility of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Its National Planning Policy Framework published sets an expectation that local authorities should use the National Design Guide and National Model Design Code (NMDC) to determine design guidance and local design standards in consultation with communities. The NMDC provides standards and guidance on how the design of new developments should enhance the health and wellbeing of local communities and create safe, inclusive, accessible and active environments. The Government currently has no plans to include health net gain as a planning requirement.