Green Belt: Planning Permission
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his written statement of 20 November 2025 on a more active use of ministerial call-in and recovery powers, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of these changes on local authorities with significant areas of Green Belt, including Walsall Council; and whether he will publish guidance confirming that the protection of Green Belt land in constituencies such as Aldridge-Brownhills will be treated as a material consideration of substantial weight in any called-in decision.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook
The Written Ministerial Statement of 2012 sets out the circumstances in which the Secretary of State will use his powers to intervene.
All called in planning applications and appeals will continue to be considered against adopted local plans, in line with s38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, taking into account material planning considerations, which may include emerging Local Plans.
Proposals to determine the appropriate procedure for called-in applications would be introduced by commencing existing provisions in the Planning Act 2008.
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