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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to Chapter 3 of his Department's consultation, National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code: consultation proposals, updated on 8 February 2021 on proposed changes to paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework, what criteria will be used to assess whether local plans and spatial development strategies are sound; and what other statements of national planning policy are referred to in that paragraph.

Plans are 'sound' if they are found by an independent Inspector to have been positively prepared, and justified, and are effective and consistent with national policy. The proposed changes to paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework currently out for consultation, only refers to the section 35 d) of paragraph 35. The purpose of this proposal is to clarify that plans should be consistent with national policies, for example Written Ministerial Statements and other national policies, not just those policies in the Framework at its time of publication. This is a consultation proposal and I would encourage everyone one with a interest in this proposal to respond, the consultation closes at 11.45 pm, Saturday 27 March 2021.