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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Court of Appeal ruling of Mead Realisations Ltd v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government [2025] EWCA Civ 32 on the status of (a) planning practice guidance and (b) planning policy.

The government has noted the view of the Court of Appeal in Mead Realisations Ltd v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government [2025] EWCA Civ 32 that the Planning Practice Guidance can in principle amend national policy. It remains the case that Planning Practice Guidance will continue to be used in a supporting role to, and consistent with, national policy. The government did not appeal this decision within the applicable time period.