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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that planning decisions support the Government’s climate targets.

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today, and the planning system can play a powerful role in helping to mitigate and adapt to its effects.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 made some immediate changes to support climate change mitigation and adaptation through increased deployment of renewables and sustainable drainage systems, amendments to transport policy and changes to emphasise the importance of climate considerations in planning.

The Framework also makes clear that the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change should be considered in preparing and assessing planning applications.