Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025-03-24

Mark Pritchard Con

The Wrekin

Question

None of my constituents is saying, ‘We don’t need any more homes.’ They want the right to be consulted and for their voices to be heard through a local plan.

Minister reply

Rayner stated that her government has brought forward mandatory local plans, unlike the previous government. She emphasised that home ownership had collapsed under the previous administration, leading to soaring homelessness and over 160,000 children in temporary accommodation.

Lewis Cocking Con

Broxbourne

Question

What powers will be used in the Bill to take on developers and ensure that they build based on planning permissions?

Minister reply

The hon. Member was informed about changes through the national planning policy framework, including a new homes accelerator programme which is already providing thousands of homes.

Jim Shannon DUP

Strangford

Question

Will there be more EV charge points and will accessibility requirements meet standards?

Minister reply

The Bill will streamline the approval of street works for installing EV charge points by removing licensing needs where permits are authorised. Rayner mentioned that people need this critical infrastructure as part of these reforms.

Andy Slaughter Lab

Hammersmith and Chiswick

Question

Will the Secretary of State take account of Gypsies and Travellers who have been systematically discriminated against by the Conservatives over 14 years?

Minister reply

We are working with local authorities, and the Bill includes provision for strategic authorities to look at where sites are available to ensure that people are accommodated.

Roger Gale Con

Herne Bay and Sandwich

Question

Will the Bill allow objections to major projects like a 90-foot-high converter station in Kent?

Minister reply

The Bill will strengthen and clarify objection processes, ensuring meritless cases have only one legal challenge attempt. It aims to stop endless and needlessly dragging cases through courts.

Calum Miller LD

Bicester and Woodstock

Question

Will constituents' voices be heard under the Bill in areas with multiple national strategic infrastructure projects?

Minister reply

We will consult on the draft to ensure better engagement. Measures include ensuring proportionate and faster decisions, updating Government’s infrastructure policies at least every five years.

John McDonnell Ind

Hayes and Harlington

Question

Could she explain the process for considering Heathrow expansion under the new legislation and why those affected by compulsory purchase will be removed as consultees?

Minister reply

The Bill aims at better engagement, but statutory consultees will continue to be engaged. Major infrastructure projects should not continually face delays.

David Williams Lab

Stoke-on-Trent North

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree that building more homes would help the 160,000 children stuck in temporary accommodation?

Minister reply

Rayner thanked her hon. Friend for bringing attention to why they are all there and highlighted that over Christmas she was thinking about the 160,000 children in temporary accommodation.

Bradley Thomas Con

Bromsgrove

Question

Given the Government's target of building 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament, with nine months having passed since its start, how many homes have been built?

Minister reply

The hon. Gentleman highlighted the mess inherited from the previous government, noting that housebuilding was regressing and failing to meet promised targets. The current government has taken steps such as changing the national planning policy framework and introducing initiatives like a new homes accelerator.

Chris Vince Lab/Co-op

Harlow

Question

Does she agree that it is not just about temporary accommodation but also about overcrowding, unsuitable accommodation, and risk of homelessness?

Minister reply

My hon. Friend made an important point regarding the rising levels of homelessness inherited from previous governments. The current government plans to end no-fault evictions and introduce Awaab’s law to protect people in rented accommodations.

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown Con

North Cotswolds

Question

Is the Bill careful about balancing local input while streamlining planning decisions?

Minister reply

The hon. Gentleman's expertise was recognised, and it was acknowledged that there must be a balance; controversial schemes will still go to full planning committees, but other areas could see more streamlined processes with mandatory training for committee members.

Paul Waugh Lab/Co-op

Rochdale

Question

Can Rochdale’s Hopwood Hall college, known for its record in training construction workers, be included in the £600 million funding and 60,000 new apprenticeships?

Minister reply

As my hon. Friend suggested, six colleges were announced to train construction workers under the £600 million initiative. The hope is that Greater Manchester will also be engaged in this process.

Luke Taylor LD

Sutton and Cheam

Question

How can residents be reassured about infrastructure needs as more homes are built?

Minister reply

The hon. Member raised concerns about insufficient infrastructure, which the Bill aims to streamline through changes in section 106 to ensure developers meet their obligations better than under previous governments.

Munira Wilson LD

Twickenham

Question

Will hope value reductions apply not only to affordable housing but also to wider projects for community benefits such as playing fields?

Minister reply

The hon. Member was assured that the Government aims to go as wide as possible with changes to hope value, and additional work will be done under the devolution Bill concerning compulsory purchase on other assets of public value.

Gavin Williamson Con

Stone

Question

What can be done to enhance design codes so that design quality is not eroded?

Minister reply

The right hon. Gentleman's concerns were addressed, highlighting the Government’s efforts within new towns and ensuring design quality while avoiding delays.

Bradley Thomas Con

Bromsgrove

Question

Can she assure that high-quality agricultural land will not be displaced for energy projects?

Minister reply

The hon. Member was assured that the Government would protect high-quality agricultural land from being displaced for energy projects.

Olivia Bailey Lab

Reading West and Mid Berkshire

Question

I congratulate my right hon. Friend on a fantastic speech and a great piece of legislation that will turbocharge our plans to restore nature at scale and build the homes that we need. Will she say a little more about how the Bill could help us to restore our precious chalk streams, such as the River Pang in my constituency?

Minister reply

The Bill is about how we can do nature recovery and protect nature. We think that it is a win-win. Under the previous Government, all sorts of problems held us up, and we tried to work with the then Government but they would not work with us. That is why they are now on the Opposition Benches and we are on the Government Benches, building.

Wendy Morton Con

Aldridge-Brownhills

Question

It is reassuring to hear that the right hon. Lady is so passionate about restoring nature. How, then, can she explain the fact that planning permission, which the local council had refused, has been granted for a battery energy storage system on the green belt in Walsall?

Minister reply

I will not comment on individual projects, but we have been clear about nature recovery and protecting our natural spaces, as set out in the Bill. That is how we will put talk of newts and nutrient neutrality behind us and get Britain building, while stopping the pointless pitting of nature against development.

Julie Minns Lab

Carlisle

Question

The problems caused by the previous Government’s failure to tackle nutrient neutrality mean that north Cumbria faces significant house building issues. I strongly welcome the Bill’s provisions on the nature restoration fund. Will the Department work with the local authority to develop mitigation schemes that will get house building going in north Cumbria in the interim?

Minister reply

The Government are committed to working closely with local authorities and communities across the country, including those in North Cumbria, to address these challenges. We will be engaging actively with stakeholders to ensure that we can deliver housing while also protecting our natural environment.

Max Wilkinson Liberal Democrats

Cheltenham

Question

Reflect on the flaws in Help to Buy and stamp duty discounts, which helped some but many were priced out due to inflationary pressures and exorbitant bonuses paid to house building companies.

Minister reply

I do not disagree that there were some flaws in the scheme. Nevertheless, around 340,000 people made it on to the housing ladder through that process.

Barry Gardiner Lab

Brent North

Question

Can the Minister give an assurance that the Conservatives will back swift bricks as a mandatory requirement in new builds?

Minister reply

I can guarantee that we will support measures that we think will be successful. The hon. Gentleman brings up some of the work we tried to do in the previous Parliament, which was unsuccessful due to his party blocking it.

Danny Kruger Con

East Wiltshire

Question

Does the Minister agree that more could be done to protect irreplaceable chalk stream habitats and designate them as irreplaceable?

Minister reply

We could talk with the Minister for Housing and Planning about making such amendments to the legislation as it passes through Committee.

Kit Malthouse Con

North West Hampshire

Question

Does the Minister think there should be scope in this Bill to recognise the special status of protected landscapes—now called national landscapes or national parks—to ensure that development is appropriate?

Minister reply

My right hon. Friend raises a very important point. Again, I am very keen to discuss with the Minister how we might address that.

Desmond Swayne Con

New Forest West

Question

Does the Minister agree that having councillors’ right to insist on matters going to planning committees actually leads to applications being approved where pettifogging officers would refuse them?

Minister reply

Removing councillors’ right to vote on individual planning applications is absolutely the wrong thing to do.

Richard Holden Con

Basildon and Billericay

Question

The removal of powers from councillors will only become apparent when residents see a green notice on nearby telegraph poles, contact their local councillor who no longer has the power to ask for applications to be considered by planning committees. This is removing layer after layer of protection for local communities.

Minister reply

I am concerned about the points that my right hon. Friend has raised. The Government talk about abolishing a layer of government, but they are actually introducing a new layer of government: the strategic authorities.

Gregory Stafford Con

Farnham and Bordon

Question

Would it not be better for this to be taken in its totality, excluding national parks from figures?

Minister reply

I agree that, in order to be fair to areas that include protected landscapes and national parks, that should be a consideration.

Valerie Vaz Lab

Walsall and Bloxwich

Question

Careful thought needs to be given to the transparency of decisions. The Deputy Prime Minister mentioned consultation. Some local authorities count abstentions as a vote in favour while others do not, so will she consider introducing a standard process throughout the country?

Matt Rodda Lab

Reading Central

Question

My right hon. Friend is making a very thorough speech, and has raised some interesting points about the nature of the system and how to speed up decision-making. She has just mentioned sites. Does she agree that it is important for us to free up brownfield sites in towns and cities?

Gideon Amos LD

Taunton and Wellington

Question

The ability to have a home of their own has crept out of reach of a whole generation, while for others, decent emergency accommodation cannot be found; in the last five years, temporary accommodation was named as a contributing factor in the deaths of 58 children under one year old—babies. We urgently need to provide more homes that are genuinely affordable to local people.

Luke Murphy Lab

Question

There was not a greater cut in the affordable homes budget at any point between 2010 and 2024; the largest cut—nearly 70%—was under the coalition Government.

Minister reply

I was referring to the departmental cuts. If we look at all Departments across Government, including Housing, Health and Education, the cuts were far deeper after 2015.

Dave Doogan SNP

Angus and Perthshire Glens

Question

I hesitate to try to help the hon. Gentleman with his answer, but might it be that the coalition Government were having difficulty building affordable houses in that period because the former Labour Chief Secretary to the Treasury had said there was no money left?

Minister reply

The hon. Gentleman is right to remind us of the letter left by the outgoing Labour Government for the incoming coalition.

Luke Taylor Con

Question

In Sutton in 2023, I was a member of the planning committee that gave permission for the Victoria House site, which has lain dormant ever since. Permission was given for 74 homes, but they are not being built. It is a frustration for me every time I cycle past to see that potential not being realised. Does he agree that giving councils the power to take over sites that have permission but are not being built would be a really important part of delivering the homes that we need?

Minister reply

It is almost as though my hon. Friend had read a further section of my speech. That is exactly what we need to do in this country to unlock some of those sites.

Chris Curtis Lab

Question

On the point about not doing any harm to nature, would the hon. Member’s party support the water companies becoming statutory consultees so that we can ensure that, with any new housing, not a litre of extra sewage goes into our rivers?

Minister reply

We would support that, as we did in a Westminster Hall debate very recently.

Dan Tomlinson Lab

Chipping Barnet

Question

How does the hon. Gentleman square his support for getting more homes built and helping children who are living in temporary accommodation with his opposition to 250 new homes in his constituency, which he announced online just this month?

Minister reply

I am absolutely delighted to be supporting thousands of new homes across my constituency. The population of my constituency has gone up almost 10% over the past 10 years and I have supported thousands of those new homes.

Rebecca Smith Con

South West Devon

Question

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the emphasis in the Bill on removing the powers of planning committees will, by default, lead the public to believe that planning committees throughout the years have actually been the problem? In reality, many planning committees have done their mandatory training and made the right decisions, and those decisions have been upheld by the Planning Inspectorate time and again. It should be put on the record for the public that planning committees, as a whole, are not the problem.

Alberto Costa Con

South Leicestershire

Question

South Leicestershire is a mid-sized constituency measuring 15 miles by 10 miles, and it already has some of the largest-scale developments in any part of our country. We have the second of the new Titan prisons, which was recently completed; one of the largest holes in the UK at Croft quarry; Bruntingthorpe aerodrome, which currently houses one of the largest UK car auction sites, with 25,000 cars coming in and out at any point; the 4,000-home development at New Lubbesthorpe; and the prospect of a new garden village at Whetstone Pastures. We are surrounded by logistics parks; in fact, we are home to one of Europe’s largest logistics parks—currently doubling in size—Magna Park. At what point can we say that we are doing a reasonable fair share for our county, region and country? There are no nimbys in South Leicestershire; we generally support appropriate development. I generally support the objectives in the Bill, but there are one or two areas I would like to raise, one being the highly controversial proposed development known as Lutterworth East.

Munira Wilson Lab

Constituency neighbour

Question

Does the Minister agree that where the public sector is selling off land and buildings, it should be allowed to sell below market value to enable more affordable housing and social housing?

Minister reply

The Bill enables new housing developments to no longer be designed with entrenched car dependence. It ensures access for all, not only those who have a car, by focusing on locations with good public transport.

Alex Brewer LD

North East Hampshire

Question

Does the Bill go far enough in protecting irreplaceable habitats such as chalk streams?

Minister reply

The Government should use the Bill to expand the list of irreplaceable habitats that are severely threatened and include chalk streams in it. Mitigation schemes will not help these unique habitats; they need protection.

Edward Morello LD

West Dorset

Question

Does the Minister agree that making water companies statutory consultees in any future developments will ensure provision of infrastructure to prevent pollution into chalk streams?

Minister reply

The Government should be more ambitious in the Bill to ensure that building regulations mandate nature-friendly developments.

Tom Hayes Lab

Bournemouth East

Question

Does the hon. Member agree with Greenpeace, the Green Alliance and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds that if development is done hand in hand with nature, both can thrive?

Minister reply

The Bill should include a binding commitment to the land use framework which would help determine where more permanent land use change can occur to find the optimum balance between food production and ecosystem services such as flood risk management.

Chris Curtis Lab

Milton Keynes North

Question

Does the Minister recognise how important it is for young people to have a decent home surrounded by a decent community?

Minister reply

The Bill aims to ensure that communities do not mind new homes, but also want GP appointments, NHS dentists, rural bus services and roads with no potholes.

Steve Barclay Con

North East Cambridgeshire

Question

The Minister was criticised for supporting Natural England's powers while opposing NHS England. He also questioned the impact of the Bill on land use, farmland security, and whether it undermines democratic oversight.

Nesil Caliskan Lab

Barking

Question

Supports the Bill to address the housing crisis but emphasises the need for political will alongside national initiatives and investment. The national planning system is not fit for purpose.

Paul Holmes Lab

Question

The hon. Member rightly speaks about ambition in speeding planning applications but asks if the proposed reduction of 56% and cutting 1,694 homes will speed up delivery for her local Labour council.

Minister reply

My local authority has been building homes faster than most across the country; however, infrastructure delays are a significant barrier to delivering housing. The Bill’s proposals for compulsory purchase orders and land assemblies aim to overcome these obstacles.

Paul Holmes Lab

Question

The hon. Member confirms issues during the economic crisis but reiterates his concern about the 1,694 fewer homes her Government is proposing.

Minister reply

My council has committed to building homes and its pipeline was impacted by the economic crisis. The Bill will help deliver infrastructure faster and ensure housing delivery at pace.

Chris Curtis Con

Question

The hon. Gentleman raises concerns about rural identity but draws parallels with Milton Keynes, highlighting opportunities that development can bring.

Minister reply

While I understand the point about Milton Keynes, a line must be drawn to protect our countryside and farmland from excessive development.

Joy Morrissey Con

Question

My hon. Friend questions how vital green spaces can be protected amidst increasing pressure for development.

Minister reply

Agrees with the need to protect green spaces but expresses concerns about the Bill's implications on rural communities and food-producing land.

Chris Curtis Con

Question

Does my hon. Friend agree that that is why we need significantly more planning officers in our local authorities to ensure that we can unlock a lot of that development?

Minister reply

My hon. Friend must be reading ahead. The impact on escalating costs and viability as a result of the delays is hard to overstate. The capacity issues do not stem from laziness or as a covert form of development suppression; they stem from one issue and one issue only: the absence of sufficient numbers of planners in the public sector.

Rebecca Smith Lab

Question

Given the hon. Member’s expertise as a former council leader, would he agree that the provision in the Bill that enables councils to set fees for planning could go further, particularly around the fees that could be charged for enforcement cases?

Minister reply

I have learned over the years not to look a gift house in the mouth. This is a positive step forward. No doubt other steps could be taken in future, but this is significant in enabling the system to be far more sustainable than it has been of late.

Robbie Moore Con

Keighley and Ilkley

Question

There are so many points to address in the Bill, but I will keep my remarks to just a few. I have grave concerns that the Government’s agreeable aim of freeing up our planning system will be dragged further by this Bill into the bog of planning delay and indecision.

Robbie Moore Lab

Independent

Question

The hon. Member discusses the introduction of environmental development plans and argues that they effectively amount to a mercenary approach to environmental protection, giving developers more freedom in negotiations.

John Lamont Con

Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk

Question

My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. Many aspects of the Bill will affect Scotland and make things much more difficult for local residents to oppose certain types of application, including those in my constituency who are fighting hard against a 94 km pylon route and battery storage plants.

Matthew Pennycook

Question

The hon. Gentleman was here in the last Parliament. Does he remember that, in their attempt to undo the problem of nutrient neutrality, the previous Government sought to disapply the habitats regulations entirely? Is that the approach that he would prefer we take?

Mike Reader Lab

Northampton South

Question

The Bill introduces vital changes to our planning frameworks, including improvements to how we deliver nationally significant infrastructure projects, reforms to compulsory purchase orders, and measures to boost local planning.

Ashley Fox Con

Bridgwater

Question

The Bill is about speeding up planning processes, judicial reviews and the development of critical infrastructure. Although some elements of the Bill are positive, others risk undermining the long-term success of any development.

Gideon Amos

Question

Does the hon. Gentleman recall that when the Conservative leaders of the district council endorsed the unitary council, a poll was taken of the people of Somerset and they voted against it, but the Conservatives pushed it through?

Minister reply

Sir Ashley Fox: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention, but the Liberal Democrats have been responsible since 2022 for the mess that has become Somerset.

Angus MacDonald LD

Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire

Question

I welcome the Deputy Prime Minister’s decision to introduce powers to create a bill discount scheme to help households closest to new electricity transmission infrastructure. However, to be clear, the scheme is nowhere near enough...

Jenny Riddell-Carpenter Lab

Suffolk Coastal

Question

I put on record my strong support for the Bill... Net zero and nature are two sides of the same coin, and it would be a coin with no value if we had one without the other.

Paul Holmes Constituency Not Provided

Question

How does she defend to her constituents the fact that under Ministers’ proposals, her housing targets will be uplifted by 82%?

Blake Stephenson Con

Mid Bedfordshire

Question

What are the Government doing to ensure that the 1.6 million homes with existing planning approval are built?

John Milne Lib Dem

Horsham

Question

Will this Bill work for Horsham, delivering affordable homes with correct environmental standards? It is based on flawed calculations of housing need that fail to deliver actual houses.

Minister reply

The Bill aims to streamline processes and improve affordability through changes like reducing planning timelines by 50% and reforming compulsory purchase. These measures address the inefficiencies in current systems.

Peter Prinsley Lab

Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket

Question

As Government constructs 1.5 million houses, consider where to place them. The Bill loosens restrictions on house building but must also address the rural-urban divide and small-scale affordable housing in villages.

Minister reply

The Bill includes provisions for grey belt designation and encourages development at a community scale on village edges, promoting affordable homes while preserving rural character.

Bradley Thomas Con

Bromsgrove

Question

How will the Government address the rural-urban divide, with housing targets increasing in Bromsgrove by 85% despite decreasing targets in Birmingham?

Minister reply

The Bill focuses on urban densification to increase property numbers in large urban areas like London and Birmingham. This approach regenerates high streets and town centres while protecting peripheral areas.

Bradley Thomas

Question

I believe instinctively that residents across the country are not nimby, but I fear that successive Governments, including the previous Conservative one and the Labour one before that, have allowed mediocrity to reign. There is a lack of local distinctiveness in development, which causes an entrenched perception of nimbyism running throughout the country.

Joe Morris Lab

Hexham

Question

It strikes me that the hon. Member is speaking a lot about building where young people live. One thing that concerns me as a fellow rural MP is that young people are increasingly forced out of our rural communities. Does he not recognise that we need to look at intelligent, targeted, moderate house building within those communities to preserve them for the future and preserve their demographic future?

Minister reply

The hon. Member makes a very good point, with which I do not disagree. We have to strike a better balance—that is the point I am making.

Kirsteen Sullivan Lab/Co-op

Bathgate and Linlithgow

Question

For 14 long years, growth in the United Kingdom stagnated with houses that were not built, roads that were not constructed, train lines promised and not delivered, energy and digital infrastructure not fit for current demands and a plodding planning system that has not kept pace with the needs of local communities. I welcome this Bill, as we can now see a pathway to a country where every family can access affordable housing, where businesses thrive with top-tier digital connectivity, and where transport networks support growth, rather than hinder it.

Jess Brown-Fuller LD

Chichester

Question

My constituents and I know how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful part of the United Kingdom. We need to see growth so that our young people can stay in their local communities, buy homes in the areas in which they have grown up, and continue to contribute to the local economy and keep Chichester thriving for generations to come; but the reality is that the planning system in my little patch of the country is not fit for purpose.

Andrew Lewin Lab

Welwyn Hatfield

Question

I spent the last seven years of my career working in the social housing sector, so I should like to think that I have some understanding of the scale of the housing challenge, the mistakes made by previous Administrations, and why now is the time to be bold. We need this planning Bill to be bold, because at present we are witnessing a housing crisis in three acts.

Lewis Cocking Con

Broxbourne

Question

The MP questioned the government's promise of community involvement in new developments, citing rising housing targets in rural areas without adequate green-belt protections. He expressed concern over infrastructure delivery and highlighted existing challenges in his constituency like GP appointments, traffic congestion, and school placements.

Paul Holmes Con

North Warwickshire

Question

Did you declare your interest as a practising solicitor, for which privilege you were paid £7,500 this quarter?

Minister reply

I no longer have a practising certificate as a solicitor and I gave up practising as soon as I came into this House.

Claire Young LD

Thornbury and Yate

Question

Shutting out communities from the planning process breeds resentment. Do you support giving Secretary of State sweeping powers to enable planning decisions to bypass planning committees?

Minister reply

This Government wants to give the Secretary of State sweeping powers to enable planning decisions to bypass planning committees, and I urge them to look elsewhere to speed up delivery.

Jonathan Davies Lab

Mid Derbyshire

Question

Does the Bill help local newspapers in their funding?

Minister reply

If the hon. Member would like his Government to support the future of local newspapers, I hope they will look again at how they are supporting councils to fund local planning departments.

Ellie Chowns Green

North Herefordshire

Question

Do you agree that there is a housing crisis and that we need to build more homes?

Minister reply

I do agree that there is a housing crisis and that we need to build more homes, but the Bill needs to address issues of affordable, healthy homes, climate obligations, and sustainable development.

Ben Obese-Jecty Con

Huntingdon

Question

The aspect of the Bill I would like to focus on is the nationally significant infrastructure project reform. This Labour Government claim that their reforms will make “targeted and impactful interventions to the consenting system,” but that will come as scant consolation to the local residents on the receiving end of the projects being foisted upon them...

Jeevun Sandher Lab

Loughborough

Question

The Bill will allow us to invest in our communities, benefiting every part of the country and not just London. The planning system's default answer is no which leads to soaring costs for rent, rail fares, and energy bills. The Bill aims to change this by lifting constraints but can go further at pre-application stage.

Dave Doogan SNP

Angus and Perthshire Glens

Question

The regime needs to materially change such that properly consented, properly financed projects can get their connections approved. Will the final arbiter of any disputes over consents for generating stations and overhead lines be here in London? Can we have some reassurance that 2030 deliverable projects will be facilitated without delay by the ambition of clauses?

Sureena Brackenridge Lab

Wolverhampton North East

Question

The Bill reflects priorities committed to tackling housing crisis and driving regeneration, jobs, apprenticeships and investment while protecting green spaces. In Wolverhampton North East constituents know the importance of building more homes with 8000 residents on waiting list.

Wendy Morton Con

Aldridge-Brownhills

No extracted contribution text available for this contributor yet.

Robbie Moore

Question

Does my right hon. Friend not realise that, in addition to placemaking, this is about making sure that infrastructure is at the heart of any new development, so that those who move into new places have GP practices, doctors surgeries and other facilities available to them?

Minister reply

My hon. Friend is absolutely spot on. Placemaking has to go hand in hand with infrastructure to make sure that there are additional school places and doctors surgeries to support the new homes. Employment and transport also matter. Otherwise, all we are doing is clogging up our transport systems and roads, and frustrating our local communities.

Ben Spencer Con

Runnymede and Weybridge

Question

On the changes proposed to the NSIP system and development consent orders, I will speak about the experience in my constituency because we have had DCO complete, have one ongoing and hope to have one in the future. I will start with the one that has finished, which is the Esso pipeline project. It ended up blocking access to homes and ripping up green spaces, with poor communication and no compensation to the residents affected.

Jim Dickson Lab

Dartford

Question

It is a pleasure to speak in support of this much-needed Bill to get Britain building infrastructure again. Dartford—the constituency I have the privilege to represent in this place—can serve as a poster child for the need for this Bill in its struggle to see the hugely needed lower Thames crossing built.

Sarah Dyke LD

Glastonbury and Somerton

Question

I have reservations about whether the Bill will achieve its aims. Somerset faces a significant need for more homes, particularly social and affordable housing, especially in rural areas. It is crucial that local communities such as those in Glastonbury and Somerton have a strong voice and a real stake in the process of shaping the places where they live...

Deirdre Costigan Lab

Ealing Southall

Question

Every week in my constituency surgery, families turn up with shocking stories of living in overcrowded rented homes. They show me photos of mould covering the walls, of four bunk beds crammed into one tiny room for the whole family, of the space on the kitchen floor where the parents sleep so the kids can have the sofa... Labour-run Ealing council already has one of the most ambitious affordable housing programmes in the country, but with more than 5,000 families on the waiting list for a home, it needs more help to make schemes add up financially.

Llinos Medi PC

Ynys Môn

Question

I appreciate the Government’s intention to speed up the planning and development process to build the clean infrastructure that we need, but we should not be rushing through such a huge Bill... The Bill may exacerbate that problem and weaken protections for the language. Concerns raised by communities about environmental impacts could be reduced to a handful of bullet points in a summary.

Alex Sobel Lab/Co-op

Leeds Central and Headingley

Question

I thank the Minister for recognising the urgent need for the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure, and I welcome the plan for 1.5 million new safe and decent homes by the end of this Parliament... We cannot let developers avoid responsibility for biodiversity net gain simply by paying into the nature restoration fund, banking money that may never be spent on nature.

Olly Glover LD

Didcot and Wantage

Question

House building is essential to provide the homes that people need, but there are significant problems with our current approach to planning. My constituency has seen a 35% population growth in 20 years, yet housing built meets only some needs. South Oxfordshire has highlighted a serious shortage of social and affordable housing.

Chris Vince Lab/Co-op

Harlow

Question

I welcome the Bill’s recognition of the importance of development corporations, such as in Harlow. However, I draw attention to the issue of land banking and abandoned buildings that need to change.

Andrew George LD

St Ives

Question

My concern is whether the legislation or planning changes will actually deliver the 1.5 million target. In Cornwall, we have met targets but local people’s housing problems have got worse.

Jonathan Davies Lab

Mid Derbyshire

Question

Britain finds itself in a chokehold with bottlenecks leaving it unable to update its infrastructure. The time that it takes to secure planning permission for major infrastructure has almost doubled over the past decade.

Paul Holmes Con

Hamble Valley

Question

There have been many eloquent and thoughtful contributions to the debate today, and I would like to build on and respond to some of the comments that have been made. Great speeches have been made by hon. Friends and Members from all parts of the House... The Deputy Prime Minister said that she wanted the homes that she will be delivering to be affordable. May I remind Labour Members that it was her Government, when she came in, who scrapped Help to Buy, scrapped shared ownership, and scrapped mechanisms that allowed the people in this country to get on to the housing ladder?

Wendy Morton Con

Constituency Not Provided

Question

Does my hon. Friend agree that one way of helping to deliver homes would be to ensure that those that have planning permission are built out first, thus saving the green belt and some of our suburban areas and rural areas?

Minister reply

The Minister did not directly address this question but acknowledged the contributions made during the debate.

Paul Holmes Lab

Constituency Not Provided

Question

This Government have reduced housing targets in urban areas, where it is easier to build due to existing infrastructure, population density and the availability of brownfield sites.

Minister reply

The Minister emphasised that while there were criticisms from Labour Members, many hon. Members supported the main principles of the Bill.

Gideon Amos Lib Dem

Taunton and Wellington

Question

Does the Minister accept that it would be easier to support this Bill if it did not include clauses that provide the Secretary of State with the power not just to take some decisions away from planning committees, but to take all decisions away from planning committees?

Minister reply

The Minister countered by stating that there has been a lot of scaremongering regarding these provisions in the Bill and promised to address this point later.

Kevin Hollinrake

Question

How is what the Minister is saying consistent with what he said on the Floor of the House on 9 December, when he stated changes are designed to focus the time of elected councillors on significant applications?

Minister reply

The proposals are entirely consistent; we want more people involved in the development of local plans. The measures will streamline and efficiently determine applications at a local level.

Matthew Pennycook

Question

Will the Minister address the specific point on draft regulations on what he intends through clause 46 alongside the passage of the Bill?

Minister reply

We intend to formally consult on these measures in the coming weeks, allowing detailed engagement and consideration.

Alberto Costa

Question

Will the Minister give way?

Minister reply

I am going to make some progress.

Wendy Morton

Question

Can local councillors scrutinise but not actually stop large-scale planning applications?

Minister reply

No; local councillors will be able to scrutinise and make decisions on a series of applications. We intend to formally consult on these measures in the coming weeks.

Gideon Amos

Question

Will the Minister give way?

Minister reply

I am not going to give way; I am going to make some progress.

Commons Sense

Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025-03-24

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