Allotments

Mr. Pickles
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 22 July 2008, Official Report, column 236WH, on allotments, if she will make it her policy to extend the legislative protections which prevent allotments from being classified as previously developed land to residential gardens.

Robert Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable she has set for her Department's review of the practice known as garden grabbing; and whether she plans to appoint an independent panel to conduct the review.

John Healey
As I confirmed to the House during the passage of the Planning Act, on 24 November 2009, Official Report, column 532, we are committed to a review of the evidence on the extent of development on back gardens to establish whether or not there is a clear and genuine problem. If there is a problem, we will consider action to remedy the situation, only if it would not undermine our objectives on housing.

The terms of the review are due to be decided shortly, and we will publish the information.