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43021

	registered interest
	date	13/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful planning appeals have been made against (i) Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council and (ii) Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
	tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
	uin	192143
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Planning is a quasi-judicial process; it is a long-standing feature of the planning system that there is a right of appeal, just as there are with other local quasi-judicial decisions such as on licensing applications, gambling applications or parking fines.</p><p>The table below shows planning appeal decisions by calendar year. To assist public scrutiny, I have provided comparative figures for a similar period before 2010.</p><p> </p><table><thead><tr><td><p><em>Council</em></p></td><td><p><em>Calendar Year</em></p></td><td><p><em>Allowed</em></p></td><td><p><em>Split</em></p></td><td><p><em>Dismissed</em></p></td><td><p><em>Total</em></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="7"><p>Stockport</p></td><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>20</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>27</p></td><td><p>50</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>29</p></td><td><p>45</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>19</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>28</p></td><td><p>47</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>32</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>17</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="7"><p>Tameside</p></td><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>21</p></td><td><p>38</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>22</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>19</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>12</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Whilst the precise number of appeals will fluctuate from year to year, this table shows that the absolute number of appeals both (a) received and (b) allowed has fallen in recent years.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne

35983

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local planning authorities in (a) improving the viability of brownfield sites and (b) restarting stalled developments.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	185957
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>Kick-starting stalled developments</em></p><p>This Government has introduced a series of measures to support stalled house building. These include:</p><p>· The Get Britain Building investment fund, providing over £500 million of finance which has so far helped start 11,893 new homes on stalled sites (as of February 2014).</p><p>· The Growing Places Fund is providing £770 million to deliver the infrastructure needed to unlock stalled schemes that will promote economic growth, create jobs and build homes. The fund has been fully allocated to Local Enterprise Partnerships and the devolved administrations to fund local projects.</p><p>· The £474 million Local Infrastructure Fund investment fund is supporting the delivery of upfront infrastructure for locally-supported, large scale housing sites and commercial development; it also provides capacity funding and brokerage support to local authorities to help them progress major schemes through the planning process. Nearly 80,000 homes have been unlocked on fifteen different sites. A further thirteen schemes are currently being assessed for investment, which we believe have the potential to deliver nearly 40,000 homes.</p><p>· The Autumn Statement committed an additional £1 billion of Local Infrastructure Fund funding to unlock locally-led housing schemes capable of delivering up to a further 250,000 new homes, and a second round prospectus will be published in due course.</p><p>· The Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013 enables developers with any Section 106 agreement to apply for a review of the affordable housing component to ensure development is not being made unviable by unrealistic requirements. Such unviable Section 106 agreements result in no development, no regeneration and no community benefits: a sensible review can result in more housing and more affordable housing.</p><p>· As the housing market has improved, we have ended the temporary measure (introduced by the last Administration) which allowed developers to roll forward their planning permissions; this ending of the measure will increase the incentive for developers to start on site before permission expires.</p><p>· We are also seeking to tackle the inappropriate use of planning conditions and speed up the process of gaining non-planning consents.</p><p>· The Budget announced a £525 million Builders' Finance Fund to assist small and medium sized developers to access finance to support the delivery of housing schemes of between 15 and 250 units, helping kick-start stalled sites and deliver around 15,000 units over four years.</p><p><em>Supporting development on brownfield land</em></p><p>Freeing up brownfield land for regeneration and development is a key priority for my department. Our actions include:</p><p>· We have amended planning regulations to make it easier to change the use of an existing building from commercial to residential use, retail to residential use and agricultural to residential use. Permitted development rights have been expanded, including for flats above shops and allowing for new temporary uses. The Budget announced our intention to further extend these flexibilities.</p><p>· The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning should encourage the effective use of land by re-using brownfield land provided that it is not of high environmental value, and that local councils can set locally appropriate targets for using brownfield land. We have also amended planning practice guidance to stress the importance of bringing brownfield land into use.</p><p>· We have abolished the last Government's Pathfinder programme which sought to demolish homes and instead we have focused on refurbishment and getting empty homes into use. We are investing £160 million specifically to bring empty homes back into use. The New Homes Bonus rewards long-term empty homes being brought back into use and we have given councils the flexibility to remove tax subsidies given to empty homes, and use the money to keep the overall rate of council tax down. The number of empty homes in England has fallen to its lowest rate ever according to the Empty Homes Agency.</p><p>· My Department has been supporting the Olympic legacy, driving renewal and regeneration in east London, replacing over 740 acres of polluted, low-grade industrial land and premises with new sports and community facilities, parks, homes, shops and transport infrastructure.</p><p>· We are working with the Mayor of London to unlock the construction of 11,000 new homes at Barking Riverside, and extend transport infrastructure.</p><p>· A new garden city will be delivered on brownfield land in Ebbsfleet, supported by an Urban Development Corporation and up to £200 million of public investment. The last Administration pledged in its 2003 Sustainable Communities Plan to regenerate Ebbsfleet but failed to deliver.</p><p>· The new Right to Contest builds on our existing Community Right to Reclaim Land, which lets communities ask that under-used or unused land owned by public bodies is brought back into beneficial use. This new Right applies to sites currently in use, but are not vital for operations. It gives businesses and members of the public an opportunity to challenge government on the best use of its estate.</p><p>· We have a comprehensive programme to sell surplus public sector land and property, freeing up taxpayers' money and providing land for new homes. As at the end of December we had released surplus government owned land with capacity for 68,000 homes to be built. We have strengthened the role of the Homes and Communities Agency through a targeted programme of transfers from other Government Departments and agencies. In addition, to ensure land is released efficiently, the Homes and Communities Agency will be Government's land disposal agency. This builds on the Homes and Communities Agency's expertise and experience of complex land remediation and disposals as well as their close relationships with local planning authorities.</p><p>· Through the Strategic Land and Property Review we have identified scope to generate £5 billion of receipts from government land and property between 2015 and 2020. This will put land and property into the hands of those who can exploit them for commercial purposes – creating opportunities for housing and economic development.</p><p>· Changes to Community Infrastructure Levy rules now provide an increased incentive for brownfield development, and extended exemptions for empty buildings being brought back into. We have recently published a consultation paper to lift Section 106 burdens on vacant buildings being returned to use.</p><p>· The Budget announced an Estate Regeneration fund which will provide £150 million to help kick start and accelerate the regeneration of housing estates.</p><p>I hope this outlines the decisive action that this Government is taking.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

43348

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning appeals resulted in local authority decisions being overturned by the planning inspector in South Staffordshire in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011, (d) 2012 and (e) 2013.
	tabling member constituency	South Staffordshire
	tabling member printed	Gavin Williamson
	uin	192251
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p>Planning is a quasi-judicial process; it is a long-standing feature of the planning system that there is a right of appeal, just as there are with other local quasi-judicial decisions such as on licensing applications, gambling applications or parking fines.</p><p>The table below shows planning appeal decisions by calendar year for South Staffordshire District Council. To assist public scrutiny, I have provided comparative figures for a similar period before 2010.</p><p> </p><table><thead><tr><td><p><em>Calendar Year</em></p></td><td><p><em>Allowed</em></p></td><td><p><em>Split</em></p></td><td><p><em>Dismissed</em></p></td><td><p><em>Total</em></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>37</p></td><td><p>62</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>27</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>53</p></td><td><p>81</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p>40</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td><td><p>53</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>19</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>33</p></td><td><p>52</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p>42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>22</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Whilst the precise number of appeals will fluctuate from year to year, this table shows that the number of appeals both (a) received and (b) allowed has fallen in recent years.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4108 label Biography information for Sir Gavin Williamson

46861

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that betting shops are not placed in the same planning use class as cafes, banks and public houses.
	tabling member constituency	Redditch
	tabling member printed	Karen Lumley
	uin	195298
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Yes.</p><p>Betting shops are currently in the A2 (“financial and professional services”) use class. The Budget announced that we will consult on introducing a wider ‘retail' use class; I can confirm that this would not include betting shops or payday loan shops.</p><p>Moreover, to increase access to retail banking and to encourage new entrants, we have already recently amended secondary legislation such that shops (A1) are now able to change to banks, building societies, credit unions and friendly societies, within the A2 use class. This does not cover betting shops or payday loan shops.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4023 label Biography information for Karen Lumley

64903

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Planning Permission: Gateshead
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons he reversed the appeal decision in Gateshead Borough, ref 2193211.
	tabling member constituency	Blaydon
	tabling member printed	Mr David Anderson
	uin	203360
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>When appeal 2193211 was first received by the Planning Inspectorate in February 2013, the agent, acting for the appellant, indicated in the appeal form the hearing method as the preferred choice of procedure. They felt this was appropriate as consideration should be given to complex matters requiring technical expert evidence. The Planning Inspectorate wrote to the local planning authority who indicated they felt written representations would suffice.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>After considering the information provided and applying the published criteria for determining the procedure the Planning Inspectorate applied Section 319a of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) and determined the written representations method was proportionate in the circumstances. No further correspondence regarding the choice of procedure was received and the appeal proceeded according to the timetable set out in the start letter which also explained the choice of procedure. The agent and the local planning authority submitted, as part of the appeal evidence, a statement of common ground which included agreement that the relevant requirements of paragraph 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework were satisfied.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Upon receipt of the decision, dated 29 August 2013, the appellant lodged an appeal with the High Court as he felt the requirements of paragraph 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework were satisfied, whereas the Inspector had found they were not, and that this information could have been examined verbally had the procedure been a Hearing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To allow for procedural fairness, it was agreed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government that the appeal would be re-determined by a different Inspector and would follow a Hearing or Public Inquiry once representations and considerations had been sought from the principal parties. A date for the Hearing event has been fixed for 23 July 2014.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 08/07/2014 16:10:34 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1486 label Biography information for Mr David Anderson

64900

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Betting Shops: Permitted Development Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects his Department to publish a consultation document on withdrawing permitted development rights for bookmakers; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Peterborough
	tabling member printed	Mr Stewart Jackson
	uin	203326
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>We will consult in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 07/07/2014 16:23:06 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1551 label Biography information for Lord Jackson of Peterborough

64008

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Planning Permission
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to consult on the review of the General Permitted Development Order announced in Budget 2014.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
	tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
	uin	202542
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>We will consult in due course. The consultation will include proposals on the wider retail use class announced in the Budget 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles grouped question UIN 202512 question first answered 30/06/2014 14:55:50 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

64011

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Retail Trade: Change of Use
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what types of premises will be excluded from the wider retail use class announced in the Budget 2014.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
	tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
	uin	202512
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>We will consult in due course. The consultation will include proposals on the wider retail use class announced in the Budget 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles grouped question UIN 202542 question first answered 30/06/2014 14:55:50 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

46865

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications made by betting shops have been rejected by local authorities and subsequently overturned by the Planning Ispectorate in (a) Newham and (b) the UK in each year since 2008.
	tabling member constituency	West Ham
	tabling member printed	Lyn Brown
	uin	195254
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>We hold information for England; information for other parts of the UK is a matter for the devolved Administrations.</p><p>The table below sets out the number of planning appeals on betting shops decided by the Planning Inspectorate in England in each year since 2008.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><em>Decision Year</em></p></td><td><p><em>Allowed</em></p></td><td><p><em>Dismissed</em></p></td><td><p><em>Total</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>22</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>20</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>17</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>27</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>18</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>There is no clear trend, other than fewer appeals being allowed in the last two years, and I would note that the numbers involved are small. Any planning application or appeal needs to be considered on its individual merits in light of the prevailing local circumstances and planning policies.</p><p>During this period, three appeals relating to the London Borough of Newham in 2011 were allowed involving changes to A2 use.</p><p>The detailed reasoning for the approvals were outlined in the three decision letters, but it may assist the hon. Member to note that (a) one case involved an application which had been rejected on grounds it was a move to a non-retail use, yet the inspector noted that the premises had been operating as a non-retail use for over 40 years, (b) another had been rejected on similar grounds, yet there was already an extant planning permission for the premises to change to a non-retail use, and (c) the other was since the premises was changing from an amusement arcade and was already in use for a form of gambling.</p><p>The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is undertaking a broader review of gambling policy. This Government is taking action to support healthy and vibrant local high streets. This is part of a wider set of measures designed to get empty and redundant buildings back into productive use and make it easier for valued town centre businesses like shops, banks and cafés to open new premises, while giving councils greater powers to tackle the harm to local amenity caused by a concentration of particular uses.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1583 label Biography information for Ms Lyn Brown

62228

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Planning
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent steps he has taken to speed up the planning system.
	tabling member constituency	Tottenham
	tabling member printed	Mr David Lammy
	uin	201045
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>We have reformed the planning system to make it simpler, more positive and faster to navigate. We have abolished top down regional planning and increased the types of development that benefit from permitted development rights. Where planning permission is required, we have stripped away unnecessary information requirements while retaining essential safeguards. The National Planning Policy Framework, and our recently published simplified planning guidance, provides a significantly clearer basis for making decisions than the confusing array of sometimes contradictory policy that we inherited; and we have taken steps to tackle under-performance by planning authorities where this occurs.</p><p> </p><p>The latest statistics show that these steps are having a significant impact. For example, district level planning authorities between January and March 2014 granted 76 per cent of major applications on time compared with 60 per cent in the same quarter in 2013.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 24/06/2014 11:44:59 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	206 label Biography information for Mr David Lammy