Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Accepted
Significant proportion of local authorities lack adopted or up-to-date local plans, posing risks
Recommendation
As at February 2025, while 65% of local authorities had a local plan more than five years old, around 7% did not have an adopted local plan at all, and it can take up to seven years to publish one.17 The risks associated with not having an adopted, up-to-date local plan include not delivering the new homes in the right location to meet local demand, and being unable to coordinate the appropriate amount of developer contributions.18
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to provide further details of how it will use its statutory powers to ensure LPAs produce up-to-date local plans. It is providing a minimum of £14 million funding to help LPAs get plans in place and 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.
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.