Written questions by Stephenson.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled, Plan for Neighbourhoods: prospectus, updated on 12 March 2025, whether there will be further rounds of funding available for towns not selected in this round.

The new £1.5 billion Plan for Neighbourhoods will deliver up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade into 75 communities across the UK, a long-term commitment to building the foundations to kickstart local growth and drive-up living standards.Through the Plan for Neighbourhoods, the locations and associated funding will remain the same as under the Long-Term Plan for Towns. We are delivering on what places were promised by the previous government, during the last Parliament.There are no plans to expand the programme at this time, this would be a decision for the upcoming Spending Review. The Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister have been clear that the Spending Review will need to support the delivery of the government’s plan for a decade of national renewal and raising living standards in every part of the United Kingdom.

Communities and Local Government, if she will have discussions with the Boundary Commission on the impact of reducing the voting age to 16 on electoral equality at the next general election.

Drawing electoral boundaries is the responsibility of the independent parliamentary and local boundary commissions.When they next conduct their reviews, they will update boundaries where necessary to reflect any changes in the electorate that have occurred since their last review.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing the voting age to 16 on the electoral equality of parliamentary constituencies.

Drawing electoral boundaries is the responsibility of the independent parliamentary and local boundary commissions.When they next conduct their reviews, they will update boundaries where necessary to reflect any changes in the electorate that have occurred since their last review.

Communities and Local Government, whether changing the minimum voting age would necessitate a change in the minimum age for voter registration.

The government is committed to delivering on the manifesto commitment to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections during this Parliament, strengthening our democracy, empowering young people to participate and building an informed and empowered electorate. We want young people to find their voice and exercise their right to vote – registering to vote is a vital first step towards doing that.This will be a major change to the electoral franchise. We are working across government and with a wide range of stakeholders to design and implement the change effectively. We are considering what other measures may be required in the implementation of this change to ensure young people have the tools they need and feel empowered to both register to vote and to vote, including the minimum age for voter registration.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing the voting age to 16 on electoral equality in local council elections.

Drawing electoral boundaries is the responsibility of the independent parliamentary and local boundary commissions.When they next conduct their reviews, they will update boundaries where necessary to reflect any changes in the electorate that have occurred since their last review.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring (a) arboricultural reports and (b) impact assessments for major developments.

The report in question confirmed that the National Planning Policy Framework contains a high level of protection for ancient woodland.The Framework makes clear that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons, and a suitable compensation strategy exists. These protections are strengthened further by the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2024 which requires local planning authorities to consult the Secretary of State where they have resolved to grant planning permission for development affecting ancient woodland.Local planning authorities have the principal responsibility for applying these protections effectively, and we do not consider it necessary to standardise the assessment of ancient woodland impacts or mandate arboricultural reports. The Ancient Woodland Inventory, updated Planning Practice Guidance and the Standing Advice on ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees are in place to support local decision makers make informed decisions about planning applications near these habitats.With regard to statutory consultees, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).We keep policy in this and other areas under review, working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 182c of the National Planning Policy Framework, how she defines the lifetime of the development.

Paragraph 182(c) of the revised National Planning Policy Framework sets out that all major development should have maintenance arrangements for sustainable drainage systems in place to ensure an acceptable standard of operation for the lifetime of the development. National planning guidance states that residential development can be assumed to have a lifetime of development of at least 100 years, unless there is specific justification for considering a different period. For non-residential development, the lifetime will depend on its characteristics, but 75 years is likely to form a starting point for assessment. Development such as some major infrastructure projects or new settlements may have a lifetime significantly beyond 100 years.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 182c of the National Planning Policy Framework, what penalties can be imposed on developers that do not comply with agreed maintenance arrangements once the development is built.

Local planning authorities already have a wide range of planning enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance.The government is clear that effective enforcement is important to tackle breaches of planning control, including enforcing SuDS maintenance arrangements which do not conform to the planning permission.Where the local planning authority thinks that a condition imposed on a planning permission has not been met, they can serve a breach of condition notice, which requires the recipient to remedy the breach within a specified time. There is no appeal against such a notice and failure to comply with it is an offence punishable by an unlimited fine.We have published guidance on the enforcement powers available to local planning authorities. I do not have plans to publish further guidance on enforcement at this time.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 15 of the ADAS and Stephenson Halliday report entitled Review of the implementation of National Planning Policy Framework para 186c, issued on 27 August 2024, whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of standardising the assessment of ancient woodland impacts.

The report in question confirmed that the National Planning Policy Framework contains a high level of protection for ancient woodland.The Framework makes clear that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons, and a suitable compensation strategy exists. These protections are strengthened further by the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2024 which requires local planning authorities to consult the Secretary of State where they have resolved to grant planning permission for development affecting ancient woodland.Local planning authorities have the principal responsibility for applying these protections effectively, and we do not consider it necessary to standardise the assessment of ancient woodland impacts or mandate arboricultural reports. The Ancient Woodland Inventory, updated Planning Practice Guidance and the Standing Advice on ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees are in place to support local decision makers make informed decisions about planning applications near these habitats.With regard to statutory consultees, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).We keep policy in this and other areas under review, working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the average number of planning permissions expected to be granted within 15 metres of ancient woodland each year for the next five years.

The report in question confirmed that the National Planning Policy Framework contains a high level of protection for ancient woodland.The Framework makes clear that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons, and a suitable compensation strategy exists. These protections are strengthened further by the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2024 which requires local planning authorities to consult the Secretary of State where they have resolved to grant planning permission for development affecting ancient woodland.Local planning authorities have the principal responsibility for applying these protections effectively, and we do not consider it necessary to standardise the assessment of ancient woodland impacts or mandate arboricultural reports. The Ancient Woodland Inventory, updated Planning Practice Guidance and the Standing Advice on ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees are in place to support local decision makers make informed decisions about planning applications near these habitats.With regard to statutory consultees, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).We keep policy in this and other areas under review, working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to section 4.4 of the ADAS and Stephenson Halliday report entitled Review of the implementation of National Planning Policy Framework para 186c, issued on 27 August 2024, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a group of statutory consultees that planning officers should consult when considering planning applications that impact ancient woodlands.

The report in question confirmed that the National Planning Policy Framework contains a high level of protection for ancient woodland.The Framework makes clear that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons, and a suitable compensation strategy exists. These protections are strengthened further by the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2024 which requires local planning authorities to consult the Secretary of State where they have resolved to grant planning permission for development affecting ancient woodland.Local planning authorities have the principal responsibility for applying these protections effectively, and we do not consider it necessary to standardise the assessment of ancient woodland impacts or mandate arboricultural reports. The Ancient Woodland Inventory, updated Planning Practice Guidance and the Standing Advice on ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees are in place to support local decision makers make informed decisions about planning applications near these habitats.With regard to statutory consultees, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).We keep policy in this and other areas under review, working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 7 of the ADAS and Stephenson Halliday report entitled Review of the implementation of National Planning Policy Framework para 186c, issued on 27 August 2024, what assessment she has made of the finding that the wholly exceptional reason needs to be better defined.

The report in question confirmed that the National Planning Policy Framework contains a high level of protection for ancient woodland.The Framework makes clear that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons, and a suitable compensation strategy exists. These protections are strengthened further by the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2024 which requires local planning authorities to consult the Secretary of State where they have resolved to grant planning permission for development affecting ancient woodland.Local planning authorities have the principal responsibility for applying these protections effectively, and we do not consider it necessary to standardise the assessment of ancient woodland impacts or mandate arboricultural reports. The Ancient Woodland Inventory, updated Planning Practice Guidance and the Standing Advice on ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees are in place to support local decision makers make informed decisions about planning applications near these habitats.With regard to statutory consultees, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).We keep policy in this and other areas under review, working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Communities and Local Government, what the average time was between completion of a development in areas at risk of flooding and installation of flood defences agreed at planning stage since 2019; and how many developments built since 2019 in areas at risk of flooding do not have flood defences required at planning stage completed.

The government does not monitor the status of individual planning conditions. Local planning authorities are responsible for ensuring compliance with planning permissions and conditions, including monitoring and taking enforcement action if necessary.National planning guidance makes clear that where flood risk management infrastructure such as flood defences form part of the strategy for addressing flood risk, strategic and site-specific flood risk assessments should identify how this infrastructure will be operated, funded and maintained.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Paragraph 182c of the National Planning Policy Framework, how she plans to enforce those maintenance arrangements.

Local planning authorities already have a wide range of planning enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance.The government is clear that effective enforcement is important to tackle breaches of planning control, including enforcing SuDS maintenance arrangements which do not conform to the planning permission.Where the local planning authority thinks that a condition imposed on a planning permission has not been met, they can serve a breach of condition notice, which requires the recipient to remedy the breach within a specified time. There is no appeal against such a notice and failure to comply with it is an offence punishable by an unlimited fine.We have published guidance on the enforcement powers available to local planning authorities. I do not have plans to publish further guidance on enforcement at this time.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 182c of the National Planning Policy Framework, if she will publish guidance provided to local authorities on enforcement.

Local planning authorities already have a wide range of planning enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance.The government is clear that effective enforcement is important to tackle breaches of planning control, including enforcing SuDS maintenance arrangements which do not conform to the planning permission.Where the local planning authority thinks that a condition imposed on a planning permission has not been met, they can serve a breach of condition notice, which requires the recipient to remedy the breach within a specified time. There is no appeal against such a notice and failure to comply with it is an offence punishable by an unlimited fine.We have published guidance on the enforcement powers available to local planning authorities. I do not have plans to publish further guidance on enforcement at this time.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Minister for Housing and Planning's oral contribution of 3 March 2025, Official Report, columns 3 and 4, what her Department's policy is on whether housing supplied pursuant to a New Towns Taskforce recommendation can be included in a local authority’s Five year housing land supply calculation.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Minister for Housing and Planning's oral contribution of 3 March 2025, Official Report, columns 3 and 4, what her Department's policy is on whether local authorities that accept new towns will be subject to the duty to co-operate for local plans.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Minister for Housing and Planning's oral contribution of 3 March 2025, Official Report, columns 3 and 4, for what reasons her Department has not discussed the suitability of potential locations for new towns with the New Towns Taskforce.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Minister for Housing and Planning's oral contribution of 3 March 2025, Official Report, columns 3 and 4, whether the New Towns Taskforce can recommend more than one new town in a local authority area.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Minister for Housing and Planning's oral contribution of 3 March 2025 in response to a Question from the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire, Official Report, columns 3 and 4, if she will publish guidance on what would happen if a local planning authority was unable to meet its housing target due to construction of a new town on its available sustainable development area.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.