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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the availability of (a) houseboats and (b) houseboat moorings.

It is for individual local authorities to assess whether any existing or new waterway should accommodate houseboats, and to grant such permissions as are necessary to change land-use or authorise access and service connections to boats.

However, the National Planning Policy Framework asks local authorities to assess the housing need of different groups in the community and reflect the need in their planning policies, and that could include the need for houseboat moorings.

Moreover, the duty under s.8 of the Housing Act 1985 for local authorities to consider the needs of people residing in their district, including those in houseboats, also requires the authority to assess the need for ‘further’ housing, which could include additional houseboats or mooring places.