The Government’s flagship Planning and Infrastructure Bill has passed its second reading in the Commons, despite warnings it could weaken efforts to speed up housebuilding.
MPs voted 330 to 74 in favour of the proposals on Monday night which will now undergo further scrutiny.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner (main picture) said the reforms would streamline planning, support the target of 1.5 million new homes by 2029, expand Britain’s energy network, and enhance environmental protections.
She insisted the Bill would end unnecessary delays, cutting bureaucracy without removing residents’ rights to object. “We desperately need more homes and more development,” she told MPs, arguing the current system was stifling growth.
HOUSEBUILDING WARNING
However, concerns remain. Shadow housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake warned the Bill must not undermine efforts to accelerate housebuilding and called for safeguards to protect communities, rural areas, and the environment.
The Liberal Democrats opposed the Bill’s “overly centralised” approach, with housing spokesman Gideon Amos warning it grants “sweeping powers” to ministers, creating a “democratic deficit.” He also criticised developers for failing to build on granted permissions, urging a “use it or lose it” policy.
While the Bill aims to fast-track infrastructure projects and housing development, opposition voices stress the need for greater accountability and community protections.
The next stage of scrutiny will determine whether the legislation strikes the right balance between efficiency and local control.
SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS
Lawrence Turner, Director of Boyer, says: “While the Second Reading of the Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill was voted through, the Conservative Party raised significant concerns, questioning whether it goes far enough to address the pressing housing crisis.
“One of the most contentious issues raised was whether the removal of councillors’ votes on major projects undermines local democracy.
“The Conservative also had concerns regarding what they considered disproportionately large housing targets imposed on rural areas, some seeing an increases of 115%, raising fears of both community opposition and challenges in delivery.”
NO CLEAR PLAN
And he adds: “Critics argue that the Government has not provided a clear plan to achieve its pledge of building 1.5 million homes over the Parliament, especially in light of recent declines in housing delivery outlined by the Construction Managers’ Index, which was the weakest performing February on record.
“Kevin Hollinrake also expressed concerns around the reliance on strategic planning and concerns over the Grey Belt, which is seen by the opposition as threat to Green Belt integrity.
“While the Opposition asserts that the Government will fall short by approximately 500,000 homes, I believe that this reform is essential to make meaningful progress toward increasing housebuilding and addressing the housing crisis.
“However, I agree with the opposition that the success of these reforms, which are dependent on having local authorities on side, will largely depend on effectively communicating the impact of the housing crisis to communities in rural areas.”
STRATEGIC APPROACH
Nathan Emerson, Chief Executive at Propertymark, says: “While we welcome reforms to the planning system, especially efforts to ensure a more strategic approach to planning that ensures adequate infrastructure is in place, issues remain regarding the capacity of the built environment to deliver the scale of homes we need and the current capacity of planning officers within local authorities to accelerate planning proposals.”
And he adds: “Furthermore, issues remain around incentivising landowners to release land, difficulties in hiring planning officers and how developments which have received planning permission can be accelerated. While the Bill is a step in the right direction, we hope that further efforts can be made by the UK Government to address many more of the issues that have impacted the number of homes built every year.”
