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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to encourage local planning authorities to (a) ring-fence and (b) use developer contributions to provide routes identified in local cycling and walking infrastructure plans.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that transport issues should be considered from the earliest stages of plan-making and development proposals, so that opportunities to promote walking, cycling and public transport use are identified and pursued. Plans should also set out the contributions expected from development, such as that needed for transport and green infrastructure.

Any local authority that receives a contribution from development through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) or section 106 planning obligations must prepare an Infrastructure Funding Statement. The Infrastructure Funding Statement should set out future spending priorities on infrastructure in line with up-to-date or emerging plan policies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she is taking steps to help ensure that new housing developments (a) connect to, (b) extend and (c) improve routes identified in local cycling and walking infrastructure plans.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Planning legislation identifies Active Travel England (ATE) as a statutory consultee for developments of at least 150 homes. In discharging its statutory requirements, ATE reviews how people can walk, wheel and cycle within and beyond site boundaries, and in most instances recommends where this can be improved. Where there is a clear link, ATE recommends that funding is secured from new developments towards schemes identified in Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs). Ultimately, local planning decisions are for local councils but through ATE’s comments, and its toolkits and guidance that are available for use by local councils, we are adding capacity, and capability, to deliver improvements in active travel provision as part of new housing developments.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend that the "vision led approach" required by paragraph 112 of the draft National Planning Policy Framework should be based on any or all of (1) local transport plans, (2) local cycling and walking infrastructure plans, (3) rights of way improvement plans, and (4) bus service improvement plans.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As part of the consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), we are seeking views on new NPPF paragraph 112 a), which aims to set an expectation that local authorities adopt a vision-led approach to promoting sustainable transport when identifying sites in local plans and considering planning decisions.

The NPPF consultation will close on 24 September, and we will use the responses we receive to inform future steps. Details of the consultation and how to respond can be found at the following link.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage local authorities to consult directors of public health when (1) creating local plans, and (2) taking planning decisions.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As part of the ongoing government consultation ‘Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system’ which was launched on Tuesday 30 July, we are seeking views on proposed changes to the NPPF intended to support the provision of public infrastructure and to create sustainable, healthy communities.

Contributions from developers play an important role in delivering the infrastructure that local communities expect to see alongside new development. The Government will focus on improving the system of developer contributions.

The NPPF makes clear that plans should set out the contributions expected from development. This should include setting out the levels and types of affordable housing provision required, along with other infrastructure (such as that needed for health, open space, and transport). Plan-makers should work in collaboration with the local community, developers, and other stakeholders to create realistic, deliverable policies.

It is important that local planning authorities prepare, and keep up to date, a local plan as the primary basis for identifying what development is needed in an area. This helps ensure that local strategies to improve health and wellbeing and the provision of the required health infrastructure are supported and considered in plans (including in the preparation of strategic policies for community facilities) and in planning decisions.

Working with the advice and support of the Director of Public Health, plan-makers may also need to involve key groups in the local health and wellbeing system, including Health and Wellbeing Boards.

The Government is committed to promoting active travel and ensuring that routes identified in Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) are considered in planning decisions. Active Travel England (ATE), established as an executive agency within the Department for Transport, acts as a statutory consultee in the planning system, reviewing active travel provisions in major planning applications to ensure they align with the standards and principles set out in national design standards. This ensures that new developments support and enhance active travel routes identified in LCWIPs.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that routes identified in Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans are considered by local planning authorities when (1) creating local plans, and (2) taking planning decisions.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As part of the ongoing government consultation ‘Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system’ which was launched on Tuesday 30 July, we are seeking views on proposed changes to the NPPF intended to support the provision of public infrastructure and to create sustainable, healthy communities.

Contributions from developers play an important role in delivering the infrastructure that local communities expect to see alongside new development. The Government will focus on improving the system of developer contributions.

The NPPF makes clear that plans should set out the contributions expected from development. This should include setting out the levels and types of affordable housing provision required, along with other infrastructure (such as that needed for health, open space, and transport). Plan-makers should work in collaboration with the local community, developers, and other stakeholders to create realistic, deliverable policies.

It is important that local planning authorities prepare, and keep up to date, a local plan as the primary basis for identifying what development is needed in an area. This helps ensure that local strategies to improve health and wellbeing and the provision of the required health infrastructure are supported and considered in plans (including in the preparation of strategic policies for community facilities) and in planning decisions.

Working with the advice and support of the Director of Public Health, plan-makers may also need to involve key groups in the local health and wellbeing system, including Health and Wellbeing Boards.

The Government is committed to promoting active travel and ensuring that routes identified in Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) are considered in planning decisions. Active Travel England (ATE), established as an executive agency within the Department for Transport, acts as a statutory consultee in the planning system, reviewing active travel provisions in major planning applications to ensure they align with the standards and principles set out in national design standards. This ensures that new developments support and enhance active travel routes identified in LCWIPs.

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Found: ) 2022–23 2023–24 Total Cycling & walking fund Clean Transportation A collection of funds promoting cycling

Found: Government's policies to decarbonise transport Anthony Browne 11/03/2024 Meeting with the APPG for Cycling

Found: E08000004 Oldham MD MD Quality Bus Transit (QBT) Corridor DfT 82 E4204 E08000004 Oldham MD MD Mayors Cycling

Found: Transport Advisory Committee Annual Report 2023 - 2024_LP.indd 32 04/10/2024 23:2104/10/2024 23:21 Cycling

Found: Cycling and Walking Stakeholder Group • Attended meetings to discuss updates on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

Found: Cycling and Walking Stakeholder Group • Attended meetings to discuss updates on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

Found: Sustrans opened a new cycling and walking route there in July 2021.

Found: Additionally, an emphasis was set on promoting cycling and walking.

Found: and walking.