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Forest City: West Suffolk
23 June 2026
Lead MP
Nick Timothy
Debate Type
Adjournment Debate
Tags
HousingLocal GovernmentEnvironment
Other Contributors: 1
At a Glance
Nick Timothy raised concerns about forest city: west suffolk in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Nick Timothy raised concerns about the proposed Forest City development, a plan to build a city of 1 million people between Newmarket and Haverhill in West Suffolk. He argued that the premise of the proposal was flawed, highlighting issues with land assembly, compulsory purchase, affordability mechanisms, infrastructure funding, water supply, and overall economic viability. The MP emphasised the potential negative impact on local communities, businesses, and farmland and questioned why the Government had not yet rejected the plan outright.
A brief intervention noting that while there is a need to build more houses, schemes like Forest City must be proportionate for the areas they are proposed in.
Government Response
Minister Matthew Pennycook responded by acknowledging the concerns raised about the Forest City proposal. He stated that it was not the role of the Government to pass judgment on every development proposal, as such decisions are typically made at a local level based on site-specific merits. The Minister emphasised that there is no current plan for establishing a centrally-led urban development corporation for this speculative project and confirmed that neither he nor the Secretary of State have met with Forest City promoters. He also clarified that details of meetings between special advisers and external organisations are published online as required by guidance.
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About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.