PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(19 December 2024)

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to protect areas of natural beauty from (a) new infrastructure and (b) housing projects.

Asked by:
James McMurdock (Independent)

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 and beauty of the countryside, and local authorities are expected to protect heritage assets which can include landscape and setting of listed buildings.

The National Planning Policy Framework states that great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty in National Landscapes, and that the scale and extent of any development in these areas should be limited.

Relevant authorities must also make sure that any proposals seek to further the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the National Landscape.

Answered by:
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