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Green Belt: Planning Permission

Asked by Wendy MortonConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 5 December 2025UIN 94684

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the risk that the combination of expanded intervention powers and reduced statutory consultee involvement may incentivise speculative applications in small Green Belt communities such as Aldridge-Brownhills; and whether he will consider bespoke protections for such areas in the forthcoming revised National Planning Policy Framework.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook

On 17 November 2025, my Department published a consultation on reforms to the statutory consultee system. That consultation closes on 13 January 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

A consultation will also be carried out in due course seeking views on plans to amend and expand the 2024 Consultation Direction currently in force.

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