Written questions by Mierlo.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications of any local government reorganisation model in Oxfordshire that would involve changes to existing district boundaries.

On 5 February, the government issued invitations to councils in two-tier areas in England and neighbouring unitary councils to prepare proposals for local government reorganisation. In that invitation, we set out that any proposals involving boundary change or affecting wider public services would need a strong justification on public services and financial sustainability grounds, recognising the additional costs and complexities of implementation. We also asked that areas demonstrate how the local community has been engaged in developing proposals.Proposals for unitary local government in Oxfordshire are due by 28 November. The government will decide which, if any, of those proposals to implement after a statutory consultation, to which the constituents of Oxfordshire will be able to respond. Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence.

Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to involve Oxfordshire residents in the decision-making process on local government reorganisation, including how communities will be consulted before final decisions are made.

On 5 February, the government issued invitations to councils in two-tier areas in England and neighbouring unitary councils to prepare proposals for local government reorganisation. In that invitation, we set out that any proposals involving boundary change or affecting wider public services would need a strong justification on public services and financial sustainability grounds, recognising the additional costs and complexities of implementation. We also asked that areas demonstrate how the local community has been engaged in developing proposals.Proposals for unitary local government in Oxfordshire are due by 28 November. The government will decide which, if any, of those proposals to implement after a statutory consultation, to which the constituents of Oxfordshire will be able to respond. Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to help ensure that new housing developments do not increase sewage network pressures through (a) incorrect and (b) inadequate wastewater connections; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that housing developers are held accountable for improper wastewater connections discovered after property completion.

The government recognises the importance of water and wastewater provision on new developments. As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. Sustainable development should be pursued both through the preparation and implementation of local development plans, and the application of policies in the framework. The government is clear that housing must come with appropriate infrastructure, including appropriate water infrastructure. We believe that strategic issues such as water capacity are best dealt with at a strategic level through the plan-making process, rather than through individual planning applications. A key function of local development plans is to guide development to the most suitable and sustainable locations and to ensure that the associated infrastructure requirements are addressed. Effective co-operation early in the plan-making process is essential to ensuring not only that housing and infrastructure need is appropriately planned for, but that they are aligned with each other. The NPPF makes it clear that local planning authorities should collaborate with each other and with other public bodies, including infrastructure providers, to identify relevant strategic matters to be addressed, including providing for sustainable water supplies. Water companies are under a statutory duty to provide new water and sewerage connections to residential properties, as well as planning to meet the needs of growth as part of water resource management plans, and drainage and wastewater management plans. The water resources planning guideline published by the Environment Agency and Ofwat, sets out how those companies should forecast demand for water based on existing customers and planned levels of household and non-household growth, with the number of planned developments being based on published local plans. Relevant planning practice guidance sets out that good design and mitigation measures should be secured during development, both through site-specific and non-site-specific policies on water infrastructure. The revised NPPF published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that developments of all sizes should use sustainable drainage techniques when the development could have drainage impacts and should have appropriate maintenance arrangements in place. We continue to explore whether more needs to be done to ensure sustainable drainage technologies are taken up more widely in new development, either through planning policy or by commencing schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, and a decision on the best way forward will be made in the coming months. Ensuring that we take a strategic spatial planning approach to the management of water, including tackling pollution and managing pressures on the water environment at a catchment, regional and national scale, was a core objective of the independent review into the regulatory system of the water sector. The government’s full response to the Independent Water Commission’s recommendations will be published through a White Paper published for consultation this Autumn. This will include responses to recommendations which intend to unlock growth by ensuring water infrastructure investment is aligned with regional and national economic priorities and remove long-standing barriers to development. There are various routes for property owners to seek compensation predominantly through their new build warranty scheme or where the developer has failed to comply with the Water Industry Act 1991, they can be approached directly for compensation with the property owner having grounds for legal action.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce delays in the property buying process.

On 6 October 2025, the government published a consultation on proposals to improve to the home buying and selling process. It can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to improve transparency in the purchasing property process.

On 6 October 2025, the government published a consultation on proposals to improve to the home buying and selling process. It can be found on gov.uk here.The consultation includes proposals to require sellers and estate agents to provide upfront property information. This might include information relating to leasehold terms, property condition, and purchasing chains.Under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, property listings must already not omit information that the average consumer needs to make an informed transactional decision.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to assist local planning authorities in holding management companies to account for the maintenance of (a) roads and (b) public spaces under their remit.

Estate management companies will usually agree standards for maintaining newly built developments with the developer at the time that the site is handed over to them. Where these standards are replicated in the agreement between the estate manager and the homeowner, failure to deliver services to this standard may be a breach of contract . In such instances, homeowners are able to make an application to the County Court to seek resolution. In some instances, standards may be set through planning conditions and a failure to meet them may also be a breach of planning control. Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use where development is not maintained in accordance with the planning permission granted. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case. The government remain committed to protecting residential freeholders on private and mixed-tenure housing estates from unfair charges. This year we will consult on implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s new consumer protection provisions for the up to 1.75m homes that are subject to these charges, and bring these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter. These include ensuring that homeowners who pay an estate management charge have better access to information they need to understand what they are paying for, the right to challenge the reasonableness at the First-tier Tribunal (in England), and to go to the tribunal to appoint a substitute manager. The government is determined to end the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ entirely and we will consult this year on legislative and policy options to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, which are the root cause of the problems experienced by many residential freeholders.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that management companies are maintaining newly built developments to agreed standards.

Estate management companies will usually agree standards for maintaining newly built developments with the developer at the time that the site is handed over to them. Where these standards are replicated in the agreement between the estate manager and the homeowner, failure to deliver services to this standard may be a breach of contract . In such instances, homeowners are able to make an application to the County Court to seek resolution. In some instances, standards may be set through planning conditions and a failure to meet them may also be a breach of planning control. Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use where development is not maintained in accordance with the planning permission granted. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case. The government remain committed to protecting residential freeholders on private and mixed-tenure housing estates from unfair charges. This year we will consult on implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s new consumer protection provisions for the up to 1.75m homes that are subject to these charges, and bring these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter. These include ensuring that homeowners who pay an estate management charge have better access to information they need to understand what they are paying for, the right to challenge the reasonableness at the First-tier Tribunal (in England), and to go to the tribunal to appoint a substitute manager. The government is determined to end the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ entirely and we will consult this year on legislative and policy options to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, which are the root cause of the problems experienced by many residential freeholders.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has had recent discussions with the Environment Agency on their process for approving a planning application in the case of new development in Oxfordshire that will be connected to Oxford Sewage Treatment Works.

MHCLG ministers have had no recent discussions with the Environment Agency (EA) in respect of the matter in question.The EA has worked with Thames Water to develop a strategic approach to managing wastewater capacity challenges in Oxford. Working with local partners, it is tracking delivery of the improvements to the Oxford Sewage Treatment Works to ensure the delivery of sufficient wastewater capacity in this critical growth area.

Communities and Local Government, when she plans to bring into force the provisions of the section 102 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 to require planning authorities to have special regard to the desirability of preserving or enhancing a battlefield or its setting.

The government is reviewing heritage planning policy in the context of wider reforms to the planning system. As part of that work, we will consider the outstanding measures from the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 including the duty of regard to certain heritage assets in granting permissions in section 102 of the Act.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to take steps to improve protections for (a) pubs and (b) other community assets against (i) long-term commercial vacancy and (ii) speculative planning applications.

Through the forthcoming English Devolution Bill, we will introduce a ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets, such as pubs and other spaces. This will give communities stronger powers to secure these assets if they go up for sale.Long-term vacant pubs may also be eligible for a High Street Rental Auction.Where planning permission is sought to change the use of community facilities, the National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local planning decisions should guard against the unnecessary loss of valued community facilities and services.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to (a) review and (b) strengthen the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 relating to the community right to bid; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on (i) long-term vacant commercial properties and (ii) support for communities seeking to preserve assets of community value.

As part of the English Devolution Bill, the government has committed to legislate for a strong new ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets, replacing the current ‘right to bid’ that was introduced in the Localism Act 2011. This will give real power to local people to preserve a wide range of assets that are important to them and help to end the blight of empty properties on our high street. We are currently finalising the policy and will announce more details, including its impact, in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what percentage of the new 1,500,000 homes will be (a) social housing and (b) affordable housing.

The government has not set an affordable housing target to date, but we are committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549). The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes. We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent. The government has also announced the £450m third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund, followed by an uplift of £50m, enabling councils to grow their housing stock. We also confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts. Having reduced Right to Buy discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels, we have allowed councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales. The government recognise that Registered Providers need support to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply. Between 30 October 2024 and 23 December 2024, the government consulted on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement, to give Registered Providers the certainty they need to invest in new social and affordable housing. The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a number of changes that make the planning system more supportive of affordable housing, in particular Social Rent homes. These include new Golden Rules for development on the Green Belt. Prior to development plan policies for affordable housing being updated in accordance with the revised NPPF, the affordable housing contribution required to satisfy the ‘Golden Rules’ is 15 percentage points above the highest existing affordable housing requirement that would otherwise apply to the development, subject to a cap of 50%. We estimate that under this model, the median Green Belt local planning authority affordable housing requirement will be 50%.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take through the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure the adequate provision of M4(2) and M4(3) compliant housing in Henley and Thame constituency.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of older and disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies.Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing, which can include setting out the proportion of new housing that will be delivered to M4(2) and M4(3) standards.The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to make water companies statutory consultees in all planning applications.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to make provision for grampian conditions to apply to any housing development planning applications where Ofwat has opened enforcement cases on the delayed delivery of environmental improvement schemes.

My Department is working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to ensure necessary water infrastructure is in place to support the housing the country needs. If there are firm infrastructure plans in place, our planning practice guidance is clear that local planning authorities can grant planning permission with Grampian conditions linked to those plans to help developers bring forward the development. Strategic planning for water infrastructure is being considered as part of the independent commission on the water sector regulatory system, as announced by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 October 2024.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the efficacy of the dry weather flow data for determining impact on waste water treatment works of increased housing.

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that strategic policies should set out an overall strategy for the pattern, scale and design quality of places and make sufficient provision for infrastructure for transport, telecommunications, security, waste management, water supply, wastewater, flood risk and coastal change management, and the provision of minerals and energy (including heat). Dry weather flow (DWF) at wastewater treatment works is the amount of wastewater (sewage) entering the works without any contribution from rainfall or snowmelt. It is used to calculate the polluting load entering the works and to set environmental permits to protect the environment. DWF is measured using calibrated and independently certified and inspected flow meters 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Water companies must track flows entering the works in line with permit requirements and use this information to plan for growth. Water companies must prepare, publish and maintain a Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan (DWMP, also called a Drainage and Sewerage Management Plan) setting out the actions they intend to take to secure wastewater service provision, now and into the future. These plans identify the current and future investment need to ensure sufficient capacity enables their assets continue to meet DWF permit compliance, and to address the pressures of growth and climate change. The next statutory DWMPs are expected to be published in 2027/8.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2024 to Question 14870 on National Landscapes and with reference to section 245 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, for what reas

I refer the hon. Member to the answer, as corrected, given to Question UIN 14870 on 26 November 2024.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing protections for (a) the Chilterns national landscape and (b) other national landscapes under the national pla

The government is committed to ensuring that our most important and cherished landscapes are appropriately protected so they can be enjoyed by future generations.Planning policy is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the character ...

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to include retirement property leaseholders as a separate category in planned lea

Over the course of this Parliament, the Government will honour its manifesto commitment to finally bring the feudal leasehold system to an end.We will enact remaining Law Commission recommendations relating to enfranchisement and the Right to Manage, tack...

Communities and Local Government, if she will include greater protection of the Oxford Green Belt in the National Planning Policy Framework.

The Government has no plans to include in the National Planning Policy Framework additional protections for Oxford Green Belt beyond those that apply to all green belts in England.