Oral Question·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
“How her Department defines a walking distance to a train station.”
Tabled: 1 September 2026Answered: 7 September 2026
Asked by
Saqib Bhatti
Conservative — Meriden and Solihull East
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Answer from Hansard
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)
The definition of “reasonable walking distance” is set out in the glossary of the national planning policy framework. For the purposes of policies relating to land around well connected stations, the glossary makes it clear that it should be considered to be about 800 metres, or about 10 minutes’ walk time if topography, route availability or quality, or physical barriers “would prevent or discourage walking from up to 800 metres away.”