To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for each local planning authority to complete its core strategy; and what penalties will apply in the case of late completion. (272440)

The individual timetable for the completion of each local authority core strategy is contained in its local development scheme, published on each local authority’s website, which sets out all development plan documents and has been agreed by the Secretary of State. According to these local development schemes, all core strategies should be adopted by August 2012.

Although there are no direct penalties, local authorities will fail to receive the full grant allocation from the Government’s Housing and Planning Delivery Grant if priority development plan documents set out in the local development scheme are not prepared in accordance with their agreed time scale.

Without up to date development plan documents, local authorities reduce their ability to direct the right type of development to the right place within their areas.