Horticulture

(asked on 21st October 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group’s action plan, Unlocking Green Growth: A plan for the ornamental horticulture and landscaping industry, published on 7 September 2021; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of proposals to improve urban planning and green urban areas.


Answered by
Christopher Pincher Portrait
Christopher Pincher
This question was answered on 26th October 2021

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) acknowledges the importance of green and open space and makes clear that where new development is proposed an appropriate amount of public space should be provided. It is sets out that existing open space should not be built on unless there is evidence to demonstrate that it is no longer required, or it will be replaced by equivalent or better provision at a suitable location.

The NPPF also sets out how both local and neighbourhood plans allow communities to identify and protect green areas which they consider to be of particular importance, by formally designating these as Local Green Space.

We amended the NPPF, in July 2021, to ensure planning policies create places which are better-designed and more beautiful. In addition, the National Model Design Code sets out proposals for how nature and green spaces should be woven into the fabric of our villages, towns and cities, providing benefits in terms of health and wellbeing, biodiversity, climate and flood mitigation.

My officials are engaging with DEFRA officials regarding the outcomes of the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group’s ‘Unlocking green growth: A plan from the ornamental horticulture & landscaping industry’.

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