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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what definition of sustainable his Department uses in relation to planning, infrastructure and strategic priorities.

The policies in paragraph 18 to 219 of the National Planning Policy Framework, taken as a whole, constitute the Government’s view of what sustainable development in England means in practice for the planning system.

The Framework is clear that local planning authorities should work collaboratively with other bodies to ensure that strategic priorities across local boundaries are properly co-ordinated and clearly reflected in Local Plans. As part of this process, they should consider producing joint planning policies on strategic matters and informal strategies such as joint infrastructure and investment plans.