Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Environment: Sittingbourne and Sheppey

09 June 2021 · 1 other contributor · 4,126 words

Opened by Gordon Henderson Con Sittingbourne and Sheppey

Responding minister: Rebecca Pow

Environment

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Gordon Henderson raised concerns about environment: sittingbourne and sheppey in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The MP raised concerns about fly-tipping, littering, and misuse of U1 exemptions for waste disposal in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.
  • The MP noted that coastal erosion and unsustainable housing developments are straining local infrastructure and worsening environmental conditions.
  • The MP asked the Government to reinstate free bulk waste collection, enforce littering laws, close U1 exemption loopholes, and protect local green spaces from unsustainable growth.

Key requests to Government

The MP asks the Government to reinstate free collection of bulk waste, provide resources for local authorities to enforce littering laws, close U1 exemption loopholes, lift SSSI designation if necessary, and ensure that any future planning Bill protects his constituency from unsustainable housing growth. He also requests an assurance that measures will be taken to protect local green spaces, agricultural land, manage pollution, and address other environmental issues. The MP asked for reassurance on measures to address littering and fly-tipping, urged the government to review charges at household waste recycling centres, and sought a long-term approach to coastal erosion management that respects natural processes and protects local communities from flooding and landslides.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Gordon Henderson Con Sittingbourne and Sheppey

The MP is concerned about fly-tipping, littering, misuse of U1 exemptions for waste disposal, coastal erosion affecting residents' homes, and the impact of housing development on local green spaces and infrastructure. He mentioned that fly-tipping costs landowners hundreds to thousands of pounds and cited specific incidents involving building waste processing and dumping over cliffs in his constituency. The MP also noted that increased population due to major housing developments has strained infrastructure and worsened air pollution. The MP expressed concerns about littering, fly-tipping, illegal dumping of waste off the north Sheppey cliffs, cliff erosion in Sheppey, and adverse environmental impacts from unsustainable housing developments. He highlighted issues such as the U1 exemptions for waste disposal, which allow for harmful substances to be dumped at sea.

Other contributors (1)
  • Ghani Con Sittingbourne and Sheppey

    The MP briefly thanked the Minister for her response, expressing appreciation for the measures outlined to address environmental concerns in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.

Government Response

Rebecca Pow

The Minister acknowledged the Member's extensive points on littering, fly-tipping, illegal waste disposal, coastal erosion, and sustainable housing developments. She highlighted the government's landmark Environment Bill aiming to deliver cleaner air, habitat restoration, increased biodiversity, a resource-efficient economy, and better management of resources in a changing climate. She detailed existing and proposed measures including penalty notice powers for councils on fly-tipping, increased fines for littering, support for local clean-up days, the extended producer responsibility scheme focusing initially on plastic packaging, and consultations on deposit return schemes. The Minister also addressed concerns about waste recycling centre charges and ongoing investigations into harmful waste disposal practices. Regarding coastal erosion, she noted plans to double investment in flooding and coastal erosion funding to £5.2 billion by 2027, aiming to protect an additional 336,000 properties. She emphasized the importance of natural processes in enhancing the environment locally and elsewhere, with a focus on resilience and adaptation. The Minister further discussed plans for mandatory biodiversity net gain for all development projects, requiring developers to enhance local nature by at least 10%. This approach aims to balance housing needs with environmental protection.

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