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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his Department's policy is on proposals by developers to build new towns that do not accord with local plans.

Paragraph 52 of our National Planning Policy Framework recognises that the supply of new homes can sometimes be best achieved through planning for larger scale development such as new settlements. However it also clearly sets out that all areas should prepare a Local Plan, which, as far as possible, represents a collective vision and set of agreed priorities for the area.

Decisions on particular proposals must be taken in line with the Local Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.