Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a legal definition of a public house for planning purposes.
The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, as amended, makes explicit reference to public houses: ‘3 (6) (p) public houses, wine bars and drinking establishments’. Planning permission is always required for the material change of use of a pub.