Written questions

Housing: Soil

Commons · Question 102027 · Tabled 2 Jan 2026 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · Official record

Answered 12 Jan 2026

Question

Asked by Blake Stephenson

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of updating planning validation checklists to require Soil Impact Assessments for major housing developments.

Answer

Answered by Matthew Pennycook, 12 Jan 2026

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including policies designed to encourage a more consistent and proportionate approach to local information requirements (local validation lists). The consu...