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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Written Statement of 28 November 2014, Official Report, column 54WS, on small-scale developers, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of obligations under the amended Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 on the availability of affordable housing.

The Department for Communities and Local Government carried out a public consultation in March 2014 to invite views and local evidence on proposed changes to to national policy on section 106 affordable housing and tariff contributions. All evidence submitted was carefully considered before the Government announced the introduction of new national policy on 28 November 2014.

The introduction of the thresholds policy will help unblock small sites stalled due to the imposition of unrealistic charges and provide a boost to small scale builders. Stalled, unviable sites deliver no housing, affordable or otherwise and create no jobs.