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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to use the Sustainable Development Goals to help communities become more sustainable.

In July 2021, we published a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to explicitly refer to the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development as a widely-recognised statement of sustainable development objectives, to which the UK has subscribed. At the heart of the NPPF is the presumption in favour of sustainable development. This means that all plans should promote sustainable patterns of growth to meet the local need, align growth and infrastructure; improve the environment; mitigate climate change and adapt to its effects.

The National Model Design Code sets out a process for engaging local communities to create homes, buildings and public places which are safe, inclusive and accessible. It includes design parameters around mitigating and adapting to climate change, including the use of green infrastructure, sustainable drainage systems and encouraging active transport through design.