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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the document entitled Secretary of State opinion on Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI) to Portsmouth City Council, published on 14 August 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of that opinion on (a) economic development and (b) housebuilding in Portsmouth.

The Secretary of State ‘opinion’ on Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI) to Portsmouth City Council can be found on gov.uk here. It sets out the Secretary of State’s consideration of IROPI together with full reasons in respect of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. Having issued this decision, it would not be appropriate to comment further.