Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Planning Reform

Monday 22 February 2021 · 2 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Key points

  • Labour-run Kirklees Council faces criticism for approving unsustainable housing developments on greenfield sites with poor build quality and flooding issues.
  • Cumbria County Council faces a dilemma with the planning application for the west Cumbria coalmine, potentially having to approve it to avoid legal costs despite environmental concerns.
  • The Minister refused to comment on the specific planning application for the west Cumbria coalmine, emphasizing that there is a high threshold for local decisions to be reviewed by the Secretary of State.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jason McCartney Con
Housing Local Government
Context

The MP is concerned about the Labour-run Kirklees Council approving unsustainable and poor-quality housing developments, raising issues of flood risk and inadequate community infrastructure funding.

Question

Labour-run Kirklees Council's local plan keeps seeing unsustainable housing developments being approved on greenfield sites, with shoddy build quality, flooding issues, and the allocated section 106 funding—supposedly for community infrastructure—just not coming through for those communities. What would the Minister say to my constituents, who are totally fed up with the shambolic planning situation under Kirklees Council?

Answer from Christopher Pincher

I would simply say this: if my hon. Friend's constituents are totally fed up with their shambolic council, they should totally get rid of their shambolic council at the local elections. If they want a party and a Government who will ensure that we have the best planning system that the hon. Gentleman wants—one that will ensure we introduce a raft of measures to drive better design and better quality, to minimise flood risk and to provide the real infrastructure that local communities want—they should vote accordingly at the local elections, and I suggest that they vote Conservative.

Not addressed: The answer does not address the specific concerns about Kirklees Council's practices or propose any direct action. Instead, it suggests voting for a different party as a solution.

How: Suggesting Voting For A Different Party

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Q2 Naseem Shah Lab Bradford West
Energy Environment
Context

The MP is concerned about a planning application for a new coal mine in west Cumbria, which he believes poses environmental risks and will not provide significant job creation benefits. He asks if the Secretary of State will intervene to block this application.

Question

Cumbria County Council has been hemmed in by the planning system over the application for the west Cumbria coalmine, which it will likely be forced to pass to avoid the threat of legal costs. This is despite the environmental damage and the small number of unsustainable jobs that the mine will create. Leaving aside fixing the flaws in a system that allows for the opening of a polluting coalmine in the year that the UK hosts COP26, will the Secretary of State now do the right thing on this issue of national—if not global—importance, block this application and work with his colleagues in the Cabinet to provide the long-term, secure and green jobs that west Cumbrians deserve instead?

Answer from Christopher Pincher

The hon. Lady and the House know full well that our green credentials are second to none. The hon. Lady also knows that I will not and cannot comment on an individual planning application. What I can say is that there is a high bar to be passed for a local decision to be assessed by the Secretary of State. We believe—the law believes—that it is always best to leave local communities to make decisions for themselves, and that is what we have done in this case.

Not addressed: The answer does not address whether the application will be blocked or any commitment to alternative job creation. Instead, it emphasizes the high standards required for Secretary of State intervention and suggests local decision-making autonomy.

How: Emphasizing High Standards, Suggesting Local Decision-Making

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