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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether new mayors in combined county authorities will have powers to (a) revoke, (b) amend or (c) disregard the agreed local plans of local planning authorities.

Mayors in combined county authorities will not be given any new powers to revoke, amend or disregard adopted local plans.

There are existing provisions set out in Schedule A1 to the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, which allow the Secretary of State to invite the Mayor of London or a combined authority to prepare or revise a local plan where a local planning authority are failing to do anything that it is necessary for them to do in connection with the preparation, revision or adoption of a local plan.

These powers are also extended to combined county authorities by the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023, although the relevant provisions are not yet in force.