Housing

Debate between Mark Pawsey and Nigel Adams

Wednesday 5th September 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

After listening to the measures outlined by the new Minister at the Dispatch Box, no one could accuse the Government of being negligent in their approach to house building. That contrasts with the record of the previous Government. The number that was not on the tip of the shadow Minister’s tongue when I intervened earlier is 78,340, which is the figure for new houses started in the last full year of the previous Government. It was given to the House by the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Andrew Stunell). The shadow Minister told us that he is happy to support the record of the Labour Government, but that number pales into insignificance when we consider the fact that in 2011, the first full year of the coalition Government, 98,250 houses were started—a rise of 25%. Those figures make the motion ridiculous as it claims that housing starts are down.

We all agree, however, that we need to build more houses. Statistics from the industry analysts Glenigan have been published today in The Daily Telegraph, under the headline “2,000 new building projects approved every month since planning shake-up”. The article goes on to detail how the proportion of planning applications that are successful has increased by 8% since the introduction of the new national planning policy framework, from 73% in November 2011 to 81% in March 2012, leading to more consents in total, from 75,000 to 85,000. That is 10,000 more consents, or 13% more approvals.

[Nigel Adams (Selby and Ainsty) (Con)]

Does my hon. Friend agree that 10,000 additional consents could mean an awful lot more properties, because some consents will be for many dozens, if not hundreds, of properties?

[Mark Pawsey]

Absolutely. The national planning policy framework is starting to bear fruit, so it was disappointing to hear Labour Members criticise the changes.

Planning delays have been stifling house building. I want to focus on planning guidance and the delays that planning applications consultees continue to be able to cause in the development process. The Government’s consultation paper on statutory consultees drew attention to 27 external bodies. It stated:

“This can mean authorities are reluctant to determine applications without input from these key bodies.”

That is where planning delays come in. I refer to my own constituency of Rugby where, I am proud to say, we have a very positive attitude to housing development and recognise the need to grow to provide accommodation for new households. Work has just started on the Gateway site, which will provide 1,300 new homes.

In addition, over a period of time landowners have been working on proposals for a major house building site that will generate 6,200 homes—the former BT mast site. It is just the kind of development that the Government recognise as necessary to provide housing and, as Members across the House have indicated, move the economy forward. So what is the problem at the mast site? Even though the development complies with the local core strategy and the land was previously developed, the proposals are being slowed down, in my view needlessly, by stakeholder agencies such as Natural England and English Heritage, which are concerned about their own single issues, which I believe are being given disproportionate weight.

In a second case, a constituent has applied to develop a site adjacent to a pond. As a result, a full newt survey has been requested before development can proceed, even though it is known that the habitat does not and cannot support newts. Again, that is holding up development. Even post-NPPF, external bodies have the powers to frustrate development. The NPPF was a good start, but there is still much more to do, and the Government recognise that in the new economy Bill, which will focus on reducing the time allowed for repeals and reviews, among other things, and help both development and the economy.

The substantive motion states that

“the Government needs to take urgent action to get the economy and house building going again”.

They have and they are. I congratulate the previous Housing Minister on all his hard work in supporting the housing industry and look forward to the new Minister taking the Government’s agenda forward. Knowing his previous ministerial role on business, I have every confidence that the Government’s housing strategy is in safe hands.