Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Housing Infrastructure: Essex

21 June 2023 · 2 other contributors · 3,817 words

Opened by Priti Patel Con Witham

Responding minister: Rachel Maclean

Housing

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Priti Patel raised concerns about housing infrastructure: essex in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The development of Essex faces challenges due to a complex planning system involving multiple councils and pressure from developers.
  • Infrastructure such as roads, schools, and healthcare facilities are not keeping up with the area's significant growth.
  • The MP requests clarity on five-year land supply positions for councils from June 2025 onwards and seeks ways to encourage developers to build out existing consents.

Key requests to Government

The MP requests clarity on the five-year land supply positions for councils from June 2025 onwards, urging support for local councils struggling with these requirements amidst current economic challenges. Additionally, she seeks details on how developers can be encouraged to build out existing consents and a review of section 106 agreements and community infrastructure levies to ensure adequate funding for infrastructure projects.

How the debate unfolded

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

Opened the debate

Priti Patel Con Witham

The development of Essex is encountering challenges due to the complex planning system involving multiple councils and the pressure from developers. The area has seen significant growth, with villages transforming into suburbs, yet infrastructure like roads, schools, and healthcare facilities are not keeping up. Developers often engage in speculative applications outside settlement boundaries, leading to frustration among residents who feel their voices are being ignored. There is a concern about the economic climate affecting construction timelines and supply chains, further complicating development.

Other contributors (2)
  • Jackie Doyle-Price Con Essex South

    Jackie Doyle-Price highlighted the attractiveness of Essex to developers and pointed out that National Highways has blocked potential sites in her constituency for new home developments due to infrastructure concerns. She mentioned that despite having identified suitable land, these areas are not being utilised because they conflict with national road infrastructure priorities. Welcomes the emphasis on local decision making. Highlights a proposed Purfleet development in her constituency that will result in 2,500 new homes and has community support but is facing opposition from National Highways. Asks for a joined-up approach from Government to ensure delivery of needed housing.

  • Rishi Sunak Con Hampstead and Kilburn

    The MP noted the importance of local plans being fit for purpose, respecting neighbourhood plans, and avoiding national schemes overriding them. He emphasised the need for investment in roads like the A12 and A120 to support population growth and economic development.

Government Response

Rachel Maclean

I responded to my former colleague, the Member for Witham, and congratulated her on her recent honour. We share a desire for a housing and planning system that works for everyone, enabling young people to buy homes and ensuring safety for families. Essex benefits from significant investment through the towns fund, including £85 million for Harlow, Colchester, Grays, and Tilbury, and an additional £80 million for levelling-up fund projects in Southend, Harlow, Colchester, and Tendring. Two freeports will also be created to drive economic growth. We are working on strengthening local plans through the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill to address frustrations from speculative development that does not align with local needs. The national planning policy framework includes protections for neighbourhood plans against speculative applications if there is no five-year housing supply. We propose extending the time period of paragraph 14 protections from two to five years, removing barriers to building more homes by simplifying policies and clarifying historical over-supply calculations in five-year housing land supply assessments. House building targets remain at 300,000 homes per year, delivered through a plan-led system with local community support.

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