Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Housing in Sittingbourne and Sheppey

05 January 2022 · 0 other contributors · 3,800 words

Opened by Gordon Henderson Con Sittingbourne and Sheppey

Responding minister: Christopher Pincher

HousingEnvironment

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 housing in sittingbourne and sheppey in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Concerns raised about unsustainable housing development pressure in Sittingbourne and Sheppey since 2016.
  • Swale Borough Council faces a target of building 1,048 homes annually, up from 776 in the current local plan.
  • Issues highlighted include inadequate infrastructure funding, lack of affordable housing, and negative impacts on public services and the environment.

Key requests to Government

The lead MP asks for a planning system that works with communities, acknowledging local concerns and ensuring requisite investment in infrastructure from both developers and the Government. He also requests that the Government respects suitable land limitations and avoids disproportionately affecting areas like Sittingbourne and Sheppey.

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

Since the previous Westminster Hall debate in November 2016, Gordon Henderson has raised concerns about unsustainable housing development pressure on his constituency. He highlighted that Swale Borough Council faces a target of providing land for an annual build number of 1,048 homes, a significant increase from the 776 per year included in the council's current adopted local plan. This increase comes despite developers not meeting the previous lower targets over the last decade. Henderson mentioned several issues including inadequate infrastructure funding by developers, lack of affordable housing, and negative impacts on schools, health services, roads, and the environment.

Government Response

Christopher Pincher

It is a great pleasure to respond to the debate brought by my hon. Friend Gordon Henderson, an industrious campaigner for his constituents in Sittingbourne and Sheppey. The current planning system is not engaging enough, with only about 1% of local populations getting involved in local plan making. Local housing need numbers are a starting point but it's up to local authorities to determine the right number of homes based on constraints such as green belts or areas of outstanding natural beauty. Concerns over land banking and developers building out permissions have been noted, and reforms aim to incentivise more SME developers to build different types of homes for various tenures. First-time buyers getting onto the property ladder is at a 20-year high with 408,379 first-time buyers last year due to work done by the Yorkshire Building Society. The affordable homes programme provides £12.3 billion, with £11.5 billion being new money for building 180,000 homes over five years. An infrastructure levy is planned to be set by local authorities, providing clearer costs and upfront infrastructure provision compared to the section 106 system. The Environment Act 2021 requires a biodiversity net gain of at least 10% where developments take place, enhancing environmental support as development happens.

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