Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Local Development: Public Consultation

Monday 7 April 2025 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Robbie Moore criticized Bradford council for pushing through housing developments without addressing local concerns.
  • Claire Young highlighted restoring residents' right to speak at planning committee site visits in South Gloucestershire.
  • Sarah Owen welcomed the Government's plan for 1.5 million new homes but noted the need for cooperation between neighboring councils.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Robbie Moore Con Keighley and Ilkley
Housing Local Government
Context

In Keighley and Ilkley, local residents are frustrated with the Labour-run Bradford council for approving hundreds of new houses while not investing in local services and infrastructure. In contrast, a proposal for a new farm shop supported by many locals was blocked.

Question

Across my constituency, local people are hugely frustrated at Labour-run Bradford council inundating our communities with hundreds of new houses, while not investing in local services and roads. Despite protests and valid concerns, the council has steamrollered through developments at every stage. Yet when vast numbers of local people in Silsden supported the development of a new farm shop on the periphery of the town—exactly the kind of new service that would promote local growth and deliver the new sustainable housing we need—Bradford council blocked the proposal. How will the Minister ensure that local councils listen to local people and are not dictating development plans to them?

Answer from The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)

I appreciate that the hon. Gentleman needed to make a political point to get his clip, but I am glad that we have Labour councils across the country that back development. Of course residents should have their say, but it is the role and responsibility of local authorities to make decisions about material considerations in planning applications, and I have no reason to think that the local authority in question has done anything other than that.

Not addressed: The Minister did not address how to ensure councils listen to residents' concerns; instead he made a political point.

How: Making A Political Point

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Q2 Claire Young Lib Dem Thornbury and Yate
Housing Local Government
Context

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes changes that could enable the Secretary of State to bypass local planning committees.

Question

When I was leader of South Gloucestershire council, in partnership with Labour, we restored the right of local people to speak at planning committee site visits, giving people back their voice in the affected community. However, clause 46 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill would enable the Secretary of State to bypass planning committees altogether. If the Minister truly wants to get Britain building, will he think again and give communities a real stake in local planning decisions?

Answer from The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)

As I have made clear, we want more people involved in the development of local plans. There is nothing in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that will prevent them from objecting to individual applications. The measures simply ensure that the process of determining applications at a local level is more streamlined and efficient. As I made clear in closing the Bill’s Second Reading on 24 March, the Government intend formally to consult on proposals relating to the delegation of planning decisions in England, so the hon. Lady and other hon. Members will be able to engage with the detail alongside the Bill’s passage.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to reconsidering clause 46 but suggested that people would have opportunities for consultation on planning decisions in the future.

How: Consultation Promise

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Q3 Sarah Owen Lab Luton North
Housing
Context

In Luton, the number of people needing social housing has increased from 8,500 to 11,500. Development is happening just across the border in Central Bedfordshire without involving Luton residents.

Question

The number of people needing a social home in Luton has gone up from 8,500 last year to 11,500 this year, so I welcome the Government’s plan for 1.5 million new homes. While we are crying out for houses in Luton, just over the border with Central Bedfordshire developments are taking place right on our border, but without people in Luton getting a look in. What can the Minister do to ensure that local authorities co-operate with each other to deliver the homes that we need?

Answer from The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)

We are taking measures to address precisely the problem that my hon. Friend outlines. Proposals in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will make spatial development strategies mandatory at sub-regional level, so neighbouring local authorities have to co-operate effectively on housing delivery and infrastructure provision across boundaries in just the way she sets out, which will address the challenges she outlines.

Answered

Not addressed: null

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Q4 Graeme Downie Lab Dunfermline and Dollar
Housing Scotland
Context

In Dunfermline, there are concerns about the lack of consultation with local services like GPs for new large-scale housing developments.

Question

Dunfermline is Scotland’s newest city and as such a large number of homes are being built all the time. However, too often those large-scale housing developments are done without reference to local services, such as GPs, and without proper consultation with local people, partly due to failures in the Scottish SNP Government’s planning policy. What advice does the Minister have about how those issues might be overcome? Will he engage with the Scottish Government to ensure they are learning any lessons from the excellent changes being made in that part of the UK?

Answer from The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)

Housing is a devolved matter, but I am always keen to convey to colleagues in the Scottish Government precisely the benefits of the proposals we are taking forward when it comes to planning reform and renewed drive for house building.

Not addressed: The Minister did not provide specific advice on overcoming consultation failures; instead he pointed out that housing is devolved matter.

How: Devolution

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