Written questions

Planning: Local Government

Commons · Question 9298 · Tabled 11 Jun 2026 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · Official record

Answered 19 Jun 2026

Question

Asked by Gregory Stafford

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that national planning policy does not override locally adopted plans and that planning decisions remain accountable to loca

Answer

Answered by Matthew Pennycook, 19 Jun 2026

By law, planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The National Planning Policy Framework must be taken into account in preparing the development plan, ...