First Report - The future of the planning system in England

Select Committee
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee HC 38 10 June 2021
Report Status Government responded
Conclusions & Recommendations 33 items (32 recs)
Source View on Parliament website
Government Response (AI assessment · 33 of 33 classified)
Accepted 15
Accepted in Part 7
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 2
Not Addressed 2
Rejected 3
Government response
The Future of the Planning System in England: Government Response to the Select Committee Report · published 17 May 2022
Read the government response ↗ Response on the tracker
Clear

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 results
10 Recommendation Acknowledged
Para 76
The Government must commission research about the extent of public involvement in the planning system.
Recommendation
The Government must commission research about the extent of public involvement in the planning system. This should precede the collection from local authorities and publishing of statistics about public involvement in Local Plans and in individual 102 The future of … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the importance of understanding public involvement and notes existing research has informed policy work. They plan to consult on future planning practice guidance, but do not commit to commissioning new research before statistics collection.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details
14 Conclusion Acknowledged
Para 110
We support the principle of using a standard method that applies across the country.
Conclusion
We support the principle of using a standard method that applies across the country. We recognise there has been criticism of the current standard method for not promoting levelling up by reducing the targets for future homes below the numbers … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government welcomed the committee's support for a standard method and acknowledged ongoing representations regarding its effectiveness. It stated that the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will require a new National Planning Policy Framework, and it intends to publish a prospectus outlining further policy thinking.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details
17 Recommendation Acknowledged
We echo the Public Accounts Committee’s calls for greater clarity on how the Government will...
Recommendation
We echo the Public Accounts Committee’s calls for greater clarity on how the Government will deliver its ambition for 300,000 housing units a year, and why this target was chosen. Our previous reports have endorsed the need for additional social … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government reaffirms its ambition to deliver 300,000 homes per year, citing compelling evidence from a 2014 report and general consensus for the target. They highlight recent delivery figures but do not publish a detailed evidential basis or specific plan for achievement by tenure and location.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details
19 Recommendation Acknowledged
Para 136
We support ensuring that the additional housing being built includes affordable and social housing.
Recommendation
We support ensuring that the additional housing being built includes affordable and social housing. There should also be support and encouragement for local authorities to deliver specialist housing, particularly for elderly and people with disabilities. The Government should create a … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the need for specialist housing and refers to existing NPPF guidance for local authorities, but does not commit to a statutory obligation for identifying sites or creating a new C2R use class. It states it already publishes statistics on affordable housing supply, but does not commit to publishing specific net addition targets by tenure over ten years.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details