Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Town Centres: Population Growth

Monday 7 April 2025 · 3 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

  • Alison Bennett asked about the growth of Burgess Hill and the delivery of 3500 new homes, many of which will be affordable, in collaboration with Homes England.
  • Sarah Coombes raised concerns about the housing waiting list in Sandwell and the lack of a night economy in the town centre.
  • David Simmonds questioned how the Government's proposals in the plan for neighbourhoods will prioritize the voice of trade unions among consultees.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alison Bennett Lib Dem Mid Sussex
Housing Local Government
Context

Burgess Hill, a fast-growing area with Lib Dem leadership, is working with Homes England to deliver 3,500 new homes including hundreds of affordable units. Concerns exist about the impact of housing growth on the town centre.

Question

I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Burgess Hill is fast-growing, and the Lib Dem-run council is working hard with Homes England to deliver 3,500 new homes, hundreds of which will be affordable. However, after years of Conservative failure, my constituents are worried that housing growth will go hand in hand with the hollowing out of the town centre. My Lib Dem colleagues want to deliver a buoyant town centre through a public-private partnership, so will the Minister visit Burgess Hill to see the innovative approaches we are taking to make it thrive again?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Alex Norris)

I am grateful for that question, and for the spirit in which Burgess Hill is taking on the need to build housing in its community. We believe that sustainable housing with complementary infrastructure will drive the local economy—it will drive footfall to town centres and help bring private investment to high streets. Clearly, something interesting is happening in Burgess Hill, and I would very much like to visit.

Answered
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Q2 Sarah Coombes Lab West Bromwich
Housing Business & Trade
Context

In West Bromwich, there is a significant housing waiting list with nearly 20,000 people. The town centre lacks an active nightlife despite being busy during the day.

Question

In Sandwell, we have almost 20,000 people on the housing waiting list—we desperately need more affordable and social homes. We also have a town centre in West Brom that is busy during the day, but very quiet at night, with no night economy whatsoever. Both of those challenges could be addressed through development of residential properties in the town centre. We have a few places earmarked for development, but that has completely stalled, so can the Minister say what more he can do to help West Brom to get building and build the homes that people need?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Alex Norris)

My hon. Friend is exactly right—those two challenges can be taken on together. Creating opportunities for people to live in local communities brings footfall and reduces crime, which are both excellent things. She has heard what my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning has said about our support for house building. We stand ready to support her community to make sure they can build houses in their town centres.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific additional support measures not detailed

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Q3 David Simmonds Con Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Business & Trade Local Government
Context

The Opposition supports the Government's plan for neighbourhoods but questions the proposed diversification of consultees to prioritise trade unions over small businesses.

Question

The Opposition broadly support the Government’s proposals in the plan for neighbourhoods, which carries on the excellent work started under the previous Government. However, how will the proposals to diversify the base of consultees to prioritise the voice of trade unions—which, by definition, are found mainly in large public sector and corporate organisations—not drown out the voice of the small businesses on which our town centres depend?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Alex Norris)

I am grateful for the opportunity to remind the House, and the hon. Gentleman and his Front-Bench colleagues, that they of course wanted the predecessor programme to the plan for neighbourhoods, but did not provide any money for it. That was a slight oversight, which we have been able to address in order to keep the promises that they made but would have had to break. On the point about trade union boards, I can understand why Opposition colleagues do not want the voices of millions of ordinary people in the room when decisions are made; they never do, and they never will. However, trade unions are not in competition with small businesses—far from it. There is room for both in the discussions, and both will add lots to those discussions.

Not addressed: The question about trade union consultation was deflected by focusing on past performance and criticising the Opposition instead of addressing the specific issue raised.

How: Criticizing The Opposition, Changing Subject

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