Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following Asda's recent announcement about developing a town centre in London, what steps they are taking to support supermarket chains’ initiatives involving mixed-use developments that include housing.
Answered by Baroness Swinburne - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
This Government strongly encourages the re-use of suitable brownfield land as set out in our National Planning Policy Framework. Making the most effective use of brownfield land, including through mixed use developments, will support the provision of the homes we need, and is key to regenerating our high streets and town centres, supporting economic growth in the hearts of our towns and cities and maximising the use of existing infrastructure.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on how many occasions he has used his powers to call in new planning proposals by developers on the basis of their lack of progress in remediating fire safety defects in legacy buildings.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Any announcements will be made in the usual way.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety of 22 April 2024, Official Report, column 636, what steps his Department is taking to help support people in low-rise homes with timber and UPVC cladding in the London Borough of Barnet.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 25644 on 15 May 2024. .
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project status is not used by the developers of solar farms as a way of bypassing local planning scrutiny and avoiding accountability to the local community.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) recently consulted on Operational reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects consenting process. As part of their response DLUHC has introduced secondary legislation and new guidance that provide greater clarity for applicants on whom to consult and when. This came into force on 8 March. These reforms will ensure the system should incentivise early, meaningful engagement between parties as applications for projects are developed.
The established consultation procedures with Interested Parties that are undertaken during the development consent Examination by the Planning Inspectorate, or by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero following receipt of the Examination report will continue to be delivered. On 15 May, my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State made a Written Ministerial Statement reinforcing the importance of applicants following the expectations on siting solar developments set out in the Renewable Energy National Policy Statement. Applications will not be consented if they have not met the requirements, and that includes community engagement as required by the Planning Act. Planning Inspectorate guidance on the pre-application stage was updated on 30 April this year and can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/planning-act-2008-pre-application-stage-for-nationally-significant-infrastructure-projects (also attached).
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many asylum seekers with at least one disabled child who have achieved refugee status have been made homeless on achieving that status in the past 12 months.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office does not hold the information requested.
The Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide accommodation to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute while their application for asylum is being considered. Following the service of an asylum decision, an individual continues to be an asylum seeker for the purpose of asylum support until the end of the relevant prescribed period set out in legislation. This period is 28 calendar days from when an individual is notified of a decision to accept their asylum claim and grant them leave and we have no plans to extend this period. Whilst our legislative power is clear, we do in practice already extend support beyond this. Our current process means that individuals can remain on asylum support for at least 28 days after they have been issued a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), which means that individuals have longer than 28 days to make arrangements to move on before their asylum support ends. It is important that individuals initiate plans to move on from asylum support as soon as they are served their asylum decision in order to maximise the time they have to make move on arrangements.
We offer move on support to all individuals through Migrant Help or their partner organisation. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them. Individuals can contact Migrant Help in three ways:
We continue to identify and make efficiencies in supporting newly recognised refugees during the move on period and to mitigate the risk of homelessness. We are fully committed to working with partners in doing this. We have already worked closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. We are also utilising Home Office Liaison Officers to replicate part of the Afghan resettlement move on process. We have been working in three local authority areas since December 2023; Glasgow, Brent and Hillingdon. This has now been expanded to Manchester and Liverpool.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many asylum seekers with children have been made homeless on achieving refugee status in the past 12 months.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office does not hold the information requested.
The Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide accommodation to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute while their application for asylum is being considered. Following the service of an asylum decision, an individual continues to be an asylum seeker for the purpose of asylum support until the end of the relevant prescribed period set out in legislation. This period is 28 calendar days from when an individual is notified of a decision to accept their asylum claim and grant them leave and we have no plans to extend this period. Whilst our legislative power is clear, we do in practice already extend support beyond this. Our current process means that individuals can remain on asylum support for at least 28 days after they have been issued a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), which means that individuals have longer than 28 days to make arrangements to move on before their asylum support ends. It is important that individuals initiate plans to move on from asylum support as soon as they are served their asylum decision in order to maximise the time they have to make move on arrangements.
We offer move on support to all individuals through Migrant Help or their partner organisation. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them. Individuals can contact Migrant Help in three ways:
We continue to identify and make efficiencies in supporting newly recognised refugees during the move on period and to mitigate the risk of homelessness. We are fully committed to working with partners in doing this. We have already worked closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. We are also utilising Home Office Liaison Officers to replicate part of the Afghan resettlement move on process. We have been working in three local authority areas since December 2023; Glasgow, Brent and Hillingdon. This has now been expanded to Manchester and Liverpool.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made an assessment of the feasibility of reallocating unspent funds from Levelling Up funding rounds to finance further investment rounds for towns that were successful in Town Deal bids.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The UK Government is committed to levelling up across the whole of the United Kingdom to ensure that no community is left behind. We are investing over £15 billion in a suite of complementary Levelling Up projects to help grow the economy, create jobs, improve transport, provide skills training and support local businesses.
Each fund or initiative has clear aims, objectives and funding which have been designed and allocated as part of a joined-up approach.
The Government recognises that major regeneration projects take time to deliver with important processes involved before they come to fruition - from securing planning permission, to engaging architects and acquiring land.
Decisions on any possible underspends will be set out in the usual way.
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing legislation on short term holiday lets; and what powers are available to local councils to ensure prospective holiday rentals are subject to the planning system.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
We announced on 19 February that, following last year’s consultation on the Introduction of a short term let use class and associated permitted development rights, we will give Councils the power to control the proliferation of short term lets. We will introduce a new use class for short term lets (C5 use) and associated permitted development rights. In addition, the Government will bring forward a new registration scheme for short term lets.
Further details of the planning changes, including the timeline for implementation, will be set out when the Government formally responds to the consultation.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make representations to SEGRO on responding to requests for a public meeting on ongoing construction work at the former Radlett Aerodrome site.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Following planning permission being granted for this proposal in 2014, I understand that some site preparation works are currently underway, with construction expected to begin this summer. I am also aware that there are proceedings due to come before the courts next month and as such it would be inappropriate for me to comment on this individual development.
Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of mentioning the National Cycle Network in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The National Planning Policy Framework does currently state that planning policies should “provide for attractive and well-designed walking and cycling networks with supporting facilities which are designed to promote active travel”. We will certainly bear in mind my Hon Friend’s views for further updates.