Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government under what circumstances planning permission can be refused on the grounds of lack of infrastructure. [133757]

Nick Boles MP; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State: Planning law requires that applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The National Planning Policy Framework states that development plans should set out the strategic priorities for the area. This should include policies to deliver the provision of infrastructure, such as transport, telecommunications, waste management, and flood risk. Whether lack of infrastructure justifies a reason for refusing a planning application is a matter for the decision maker, having regard to the merits of the case and the legal framework.

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