Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 20
46th Report - Improving local areas through developer funding
Published 17 Oct 2025
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Improving local areas through developer funding All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The Department subsequently wrote to us with additional information on this topic. It explained that: • Since it began funding the Pathways to Planning programme in 2023, two cohorts of graduates had been placed into LPAs, both of which started in September 2024. There were 87 placements in total, and recruitment for the subsequent intake had attracted over 2,100 applications. • Some 45 experienced professionals had been recruited into LPAs, with a further 80 expected to be placed during 2025–26. • The Planning Capacity and Capability programme was taking forward a programme of support, working with partners across the planning sector to ensure that LPAs had the skills and capacity they needed, modernise local plans, and speed up decision making, including through innovative use of digital planning and software.29 Financial viability assessments
From: Public Accounts Committee, 46th Report - Improving local areas through developer funding (HC 886), 17 October 2025
Government response
Latest Treasury Minutes progress report to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Forty-sixth Report of Session 2024-26
The government responded to the whole report on 4 June 2026 (deadline 17 December 2025).
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Forty-sixth report from Session 2024-26
Published 19 January 2026.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government states that it agrees with each of the Committee's recommendations on developer contributions, with target implementation dates ranging from spring 2026 to autumn 2026 and some marked 'Recommendation implemented'.
- On infrastructure funding statements, the department "will therefore explore proportionate and efficient ways of collecting and analysing data from IFSs", with a target date of autumn 2026.
- On local plans, it says it is "committed to taking tough action" and has made clear its "willingness to make full use of available intervention powers", with intervention considered "on a case-by-case basis".
- On viability guidance, it "will be consulting on a revised National Planning Policy Framework before the end of this year" and "intends to publish" updated viability practice guidance alongside it, with a target date of summer 2026.
- On unsold Section 106 homes, it is progressing "a holistic policy package, to be confirmed shortly", with a target date of spring 2026.