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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is providing to local planning authorities to ensure the protection of (a) buildings and (b) areas of historic importance.

My Department has made no specific assessment of trends in relation to historic buildings and unlawful development.

The government is committed to the protection of the historic environment.

There are strong protections in both the National Planning Policy Framework and legislation to support the conservation and enhancement of heritage assets.

The government has also given local planning authorities a wide range of enforcement powers in relation to unauthorised development, including specific powers in relation to designated heritage assets, with strong penalties for non-compliance.