Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Residential Developments: Infrastructure Provision

Monday 9 January 2023 · 2 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister praised the successful development in Houlton, Rugby.
  • Department is introducing a new infrastructure levy to deliver necessary facilities.
  • Levy aims to provide infrastructure like schools, GP surgeries, and roads more effectively.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mark Pawsey Con
NHS Housing
Context

The question addresses the steps being taken to ensure infrastructure is provided early in residential development projects. It highlights a case study from Rugby where delays were observed.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to encourage the early provision of infrastructure for residential developments? There is no better example than Houlton, Rugby, with 6,000 new homes. Access road went in after just 272 homes, primary school after 79 homes, secondary school after 776 homes. Currently, there are 1,000 new homes on site and the missing infrastructure is a primary healthcare facility. Discussions with local NHS are progressing too slowly.

Answer from Lucy Frazer

I am pleased to hear about this successful development and look forward to seeing it. Due to the quasi-judicial role of Ministers in the planning system, I cannot comment on specific planning applications. However, as part of the new infrastructure levy, we are very committed to ensuring that the infrastructure delivery strategies, which councils will have to put together, will make it clearer to communities what will be provided. That should include things such as GP surgeries, which should have the integrated care board's support.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps for immediate action on primary healthcare facility provision were not addressed

How: Quasi-Judicial Role Of Ministers In The Planning System

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Q2 Mark Pawsey Con
NHS Housing
Context

The question concerns the steps being taken to ensure infrastructure is provided early in residential development projects, focusing on a case study from Rugby.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to encourage the early provision of infrastructure for residential developments. In Rugby's Houlton project, 6,000 new homes are planned with delays seen in access road and school construction. With 1,000 new homes already on site, primary healthcare facilities are missing due to slow NHS discussions.

Answer from Lucy Frazer

Providing the right infrastructure at the right time is really important to communities. That is why, in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, we are introducing a new infrastructure levy that will more effectively deliver infrastructure such as schools, GP surgeries and roads. It will also give the ability to a local authority to collect that money earlier. We will be publishing a consultation on the new levy shortly.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific immediate steps for healthcare provision were not detailed

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