Mark has questioned Housing Ministers in the House of Commons about their plans to increase the importance of Neighbourhood Plans in the Planning Bill.

Christopher Pincher, Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, responded as follows:

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear about the important role that neighbourhood plans play in our plan-led system and neighbourhood plans continue to have real statutory weight in planning decisions. The Government is committed to retaining neighbourhood planning as an important part of the reformed planning system, and we will set out our decisions on the proposed way forward.