Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
The number of local authorities with up-to-date local plans continues to decline
Conclusion
The number of local authorities with up-to-date local plans is declining. As at February 2025, only 86 LPAs–28% of the total of 308 in England– had adopted a local plan in the past five years, while 202–65% of the total–LPAs had plans that were more than five years old.14 This Committee previously reported that, as at December 2018, some 42% of authorities had an up-to-date plan.15 We asked the Department why the situation 8 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.5–2.6 9 Q 37 10 ILA0007 11 Q 38 12 C&AG’s Report, para 1.10 13 C&AG’s Report, para 1.11 14 C&AG’s Report, para 1.13 15 Committee of Public Accounts, Planning and the broken housing market, 103rd Report of Session 2017–19, HC 1744, June 2019, page 5 9 with regard to local plans had not improved over time. It replied that it had given local authorities nearly £30 million to speed up local plan production, ahead of new guidance on plan-making coming into operation in 2026.16
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to ensure that LPAs produce an up-to-date local plan and continues to work with local authorities and other stakeholders to identify and resolve blockers to getting up-to-date local plans in place, providing tailored support to target specific issues. A minimum of £14 million funding has been announced for this financial year to help local planning authorities get ambitious plans in place as soon as possible.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
2. PAC conclusion: The number of local planning authorities with an up-to-date local plan has fallen significantly since 2019. 2a. PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute response, the Department should provide the Committee with further details of: • how it will use its statutory powers to ensure that LPAs produce an up-to-date local plan; and 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.2 The department continues to work with local authorities and other stakeholders to identify and resolve blockers to getting up-to-date local plans in place, providing tailored support to target specific issues. In addition, a minimum of £14 million funding has been announced for this financial year to help local planning authorities get ambitious plans in place as soon as possible. To maintain oversight of plan-making, the department has asked all local authorities producing plans in the current plan-making system to review and update their plan- making timetables and send a copy of their timetable to the department by the end of 2025. 2.3 The government is committed to taking tough action to ensure up-to-date local plans are put in place and has made clear its willingness to make full use of available intervention powers. Naturally intervention action is considered on a case-by-case basis, and the use of these powers would depend on the relevant and specific local issues. The most recent intervention took place in Stockport where under section 15 of the Planning and Compulsory Act 2004, where the Secretary of State directed amendments to Stockport’s local plan timetable. 2.4 The department is in the process of procuring suppliers to support the ministerial commitment to make full use of intervention powers where necessary.