Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministerial Statement

Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025-12-08

08 December 2025 · 4 other contributors

Opened by The Minister for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook Lab Conservative

Housing

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

The Minister for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook raised concerns about planning and infrastructure bill 2025-12-08 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Planning and Infrastructure Bill will complete all its stages subject to agreement on a single remaining issue.
  • Legislation aims to facilitate a significant increase in new homes and critical infrastructure delivery.
  • Current processes for house building, infrastructure provision, development, environment oversight, and strategic planning are deemed inadequate.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Government Statement

The Minister for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook

Today, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will complete all its stages subject to agreement from this House and the other place on a single remaining issue. This legislation facilitates a step change in delivering new homes and critical infrastructure that is desperately required. The status quo for house building, provision of major economic infrastructure, development and environment, local democratic oversight, compulsory purchase order process, and cross-boundary strategic planning has failed. The Bill enables different approaches to these issues. After extensive consultation rounds on relevant regulations before they are laid, the affirmative procedure is unnecessary but due to strong feeling in the other place, amendment (a) seeks to give effect to Lords amendment 33 ensuring parliamentary scrutiny of future regulations through existing safeguards. I urge support for Government amendment (a).

Other contributors (4)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Question

    Does everybody recognise the importance of building 1.5 million houses for social housing affordability and the need to ensure community integration during discussions about house-building impact on local farms and landowners?

  • Chris Hinchliff Lab North East Hertfordshire

    Question

    Reflecting on further evidence since last debate, such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' biodiversity assessment and Environmental Audit Committee's report on environmental sustainability and housing growth which called for an end to 'lazy' narratives and scapegoating of nature.

  • Gideon Amos LD Taunton and Wellington

    Question

    Outlines three main concerns: accountability to Parliament, communities, and environment. Welcomes Government’s compromise but opposes measure of taking powers from planning committees. Urges protection for chalk streams.

    Minister reply

    Acknowledges the commitment to protecting chalk streams in national policy and reiterates the tiered approach based on public consultation.

Shadow Comment

Gareth Bacon

The Opposition's final words on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill highlight its failure to unlock housing market, reform administrative burdens, or create dual incentives for communities and developers. The Secretary of State admits they need a sharp increase in current run rate to meet their manifesto target of 1.5 million homes due by March 2036, currently missing this significantly. Improvements during the parliamentary process include concessions on Lords amendment 33 but overall, it fails to satisfy three key tests. It strips powers from elected councillors and gives them to unelected planning officers, increasing centralisation at the expense of local democracy. The Bill also lacks clarity for nature lovers about reconciling new homes with environmental protection needs. With warnings from various industry experts and organisations about concerns over the Bill or the Government's ability to meet their housing target, more should have been done. The Chancellor running the economy into the ground while hiking taxes further exacerbates this issue.

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