Property Development: Green Belt
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on how they can ensure the enforcement of the golden rules around the development on green belt sites, particularly with regard to the provision of appropriate infrastructure.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook
The National Planning Policy Framework sets clear expectations on when development should comply with the Golden Rules.
Ahead of further updates, the relevant planning practice guidance on viability also makes clear that, where development takes place on land situated in, or released from, the Green Belt and is subject to the Golden Rules, site-specific viability assessment should not be undertaken or taken into account for the purpose of reducing developer contributions, including affordable housing and appropriate infrastructure.
As set out in the Framework and supporting guidance, local authorities should, where appropriate, consider the use of conditions or planning obligations. Authorities may take enforcement action against the breach of planning obligations contained in a section 106 agreement. Through our wider reforms to planning fees, including the relevant provisions in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, local planning authorities will be better resourced to deliver their responsibilities, including enforcement activities where relevant.
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