The number of local planning authorities with an up-to-date local plan has fallen significantly since 2019. As at February 2025, only 86 LPAs–29% of all the LPAs in England–had adopted a local plan in the past five years. By contrast, in February 2019, 149 LPAs had an up-to-date local plan. This Committee has previously reported on the number of local authorities without an up-to-date local plan, which takes on average seven years to produce. Without an up-to-date local plan, LPAs risk not being able to deliver the new homes needed to meet local demand and may not be able to coordinate the appropriate amount of contributions from development. 2 The Department states that it has provided nearly £30 million to LPAs to speed up local plan production ahead of a new local plan system coming into operation in 2026. It expects a much higher number of LPAs to have an up-to-date local plan by the end of this Parliament. The production and revision of local plans is far too complicated, as it requires a great deal of predictive information which is often inaccurate. recommendation In its Treasury Minute response, the Department should provide the Committee with further details of: a. how it will use its statutory powers to ensure that LPAs produce an up-to-date local plan; and b. if it will examine the local plan making system to make it simpler and shorter, drawing up a revised local plan.