Planning reforms which are key to the delivery of the government’s pledge to develop 1.5 million homes have cleared the Commons.
MPs voted by 306 to 174, majority 132, to approve the Planning and Infrastructure Bill at third reading on Tuesday evening.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook said the Bill, which aims to help speed up the planning system, will help to address the UK’s housing crisis.
Speaking in the Commons, Pennycook said: “This landmark Bill will get Britain building again, unleash economic growth and deliver on the promise of national renewal.
“We can and we must do things differently, this Bill will enable us to do so. It is transformative. It will fundamentally change how we build things in this country
“It is critical in helping the government achieving its ambitious plan for change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.
“When it comes to delivering new homes and critical infrastructure, the status quo is patently failing the country and failing the British people.
“We can and we must do things differently, this Bill will enable us to do so. It is transformative. It will fundamentally change how we build things in this country, and in doing so it will help us tackle the housing crisis and raise living standards in every part of the country.”
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is a key piece of UK legislation designed to streamline and modernise the planning system, improving the efficiency of how infrastructure projects are delivered, including new housing schemes.
But shadow housing secretary and ex-estate agent Kevin Hollinrake has described the draft legislation as “dangerous” and warned it could lead to “rows of uninspiring concrete boxes”.
He commented: “This Bill, in its current form, is not just flawed, it is dangerous. It risks eroding trust in the planning system and widening the gulf between government and the governed.
“We need homes for first-time buyers, for young families, for key workers, for the next generation. But we need the right homes in the right places, shaped by the right principles.
“What are we being offered instead is a top-down model driven by arbitrary targets and central dictates. The result: solar settlements, identikit developments, rows of uninspiring concrete boxes that bear no relation to the history, the heritage or the hopes of the communities they are building.”
The Bill will now be sent to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.
David Smith, partner at London law firm Spector Constant & Williams, said: “The passage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill through its third reading marks a major step in the government’s push to modernise the planning system. With eyes now on the House of Lords, it’s clear Ministers are aiming to fast-track this before the summer recess.
“This Bill is central to unlocking the much-needed delivery of large-scale infrastructure and housing projects. For developers and infrastructure providers, the message is clear: change is coming – and soon.”
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