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

What steps he is taking to ensure that neighbourhood plans continue to be prioritised as part of the reformed planning system.

Neighbourhood plans are a valuable tool that empower communities to proactively shape what their areas will look like.

As we set out in the Planning White Paper – neighbourhood plans will continue to play a key role in our reformed planning system.

Indeed under the new system neighbourhood planning groups will have a stronger role in producing local design codes – setting out the preferences of the local community and the high standards that new development will be expected to meet.