MPs vow to fight Michael Gove's 'nonsense' plans for new housebuilding

Angry Tories vow to fight Michael Gove’s ‘nonsense plans’ for ‘intensive’ housebuilding in cities as local MP tells Levelling Up Secretary that Cambridge has ‘run out of water’ – and other backbenchers demand action on mortgages and migration instead

• Michael Gove outlines vision of ‘new inner city renaissance’ but faces backlash

Tory MPs have expressed their anger as Michael Gove today set out new Government plans to ‘intensively’ concentrate new housebuilding efforts in Britain’s cities.

The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary used a speech this morning to outline his vision of a ‘new inner city renaissance’ rather than ‘concreting over the countryside’.

He stuck by a Conservative manifesto pledge to build 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s, while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the Government is on course to meet its target of building one million homes between 2019-24.

But Tory backbenchers lashed out at Mr Gove’s ‘nonsense plans’ with Anthony Browne, MP for South Cambridgeshire, vowing to fight Government proposals for a ‘new urban quarter’ in Cambridge.

He highlighted how all major developments in the university city were ‘now blocked’ because the local area had ‘quite literally run out of water’.

Senior MP Sir John Redwood suggested ministers should instead concentrate their efforts on fixing the mortgage market and reducing migration in order to combat the housebuilding challenge.

Michael Gove used a speech this morning to outline his vision of a ‘new inner city renaissance’ rather than ‘concreting over the countryside’

But Tory backbenchers lashed out at Mr Gove’s ‘nonsense plans’ with Anthony Browne, MP for South Cambridgeshire, vowing to fight proposals for a ‘new urban quarter’ in Cambridge

Mr Gove said the Government would be ‘unequivocally, unapologetically and intensively concentrating our biggest efforts in the hearts of our cities’

In his speech on new housebuilding plans, Mr Gove said the Government would be ‘unequivocally, unapologetically and intensively concentrating our biggest efforts in the hearts of our cities’.

‘That’s the right thing to do economically, environmentally, and culturally,’ the Housing Secretary added.

Mr Gove highlighted a ‘direct contrast’ with Labour on the issue, after their housing spokesman Lisa Nandy called for politicians to stop being ‘so afraid of the taboo around the greenbelt’.

He argued for ‘using all of the levers that we have to promote urban regeneration rather than swallowing up virgin land’, adding: ‘We will enable brownfield development rather than greenbelt erosion.’

Under the Government’s plans, a ‘super squad’ team of leading planners and other experts will be tasked with working across the planning system to unblock major housing developments.

They will initially be deployed to Cambridge with a promise to ‘turbocharge’ ministers’ plans for the city.

The Government is also promising ‘new flexibilities’ to allow shops, takeaways and betting shops to be converted into homes to help rejuvenate Britain’s high streets.

This will come alongside the cutting of red tape to enable barn conversions and the repurposing of agricultural buildings and disused warehouses.

There will also be new freedoms for home extensions, loft conversions and renovations, while there will be a review into expanding the rights of homeowners to extend their properties.

‘Underpinning our long-term plan for economic recovery is a long-term plan for housing,’ Mr Gove said in his speech in London’s King’s Cross this morning.

‘And the first and most important component of that plan is our programme of urban regeneration and a new inner city renaissance.

‘Renaissance because we want to ensure that our cities have all the ingredients for success that we identified in our levelling-up white paper last year as the Medici model.’

Mr Gove is promising ‘new flexibilities’ to allow shops, takeaways and betting shops to be converted into homes to help rejuvenate Britain’s high streets

Mr Browne immediately challenged the Government over its plans for a ‘new urban quarter’ in Cambridge

Senior Tory MP Sir John Redwood also questioned ministers’ focus on a fresh shake-up of planning rules

Speaking on a visit to the West Midlands today, Rishi Sunak insisted the Government should not ‘impose top-down targets’

Bur Mr Browne immediately challenged the Government over its plans for a ‘new urban quarter’ in Cambridge.

The South Cambridgeshire MP posted on Twitter: ‘I will do everything I can to stop the Government’s nonsense plans to impose mass housebuilding on Cambridge, where all major developments are now blocked by the Environment Agency because we have quite literally run out of water.

‘Our streams, rivers and ponds already run dry.’

He added: ‘There is not enough water for existing housing; there is not enough for the major expansion of housing already planned; and there is not enough for any Government plans for a new quarter.

‘As I say, unless the Government can say where the water will come from, its plans are dead on arrival.’

Sir John also questioned ministers’ focus on a fresh shake-up of planning rules.

‘There are plenty of planning permissions granted for new homes,’ he tweeted.

‘The Bank of England is stopping building on sites by its high interest rates and loss-making bond sales.

‘If the Government wants more building it needs to sort out mortgages.

‘If the Government reduced legal migration it would cut the need for building on open spaces and green fields. More effort needed to help UK residents into jobs.’

Mr Gove insisted Tory backbenchers would realise his plans are in the ‘national interest’.

He said: ‘It will be the case that I’m sure that Conservative backbenchers and others once they have a chance to look at our plans will realise that this is in the national interest and that’s why we’re acting.’

The PM also promised that new housebuilding would be ‘done in dialogue’ with local communities.

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to the West Midlands, Mr Sunak said: ‘No one is doing mass housebuilding in Cambridge, this is about adding a new urban quarter to Cambridge, which is something that local communities have spoken about.

‘And of course that will be done in dialogue with local communities.

‘But I think it is really important to bring local communities along with you, we have housing targets, they are set by local communities and their locally elected representatives, that’s the right thing.

‘What central Government sitting in Whitehall and Westminster shouldn’t do is ride roughshod over those views, impose top-down targets, carpet over the countryside, I don’t want to do that.’

Downing Street today pointed to business backing for the Cambridge plans, including from AstraZeneca who have praised the proposals for aiding the city’s development as a life sciences hub.

Responding to Mr Browne’s criticism, the PM’s official spokesman said: ‘We will be working in collaboration with the community to develop a plan for the project as a priority.

‘For example, we’ll have millions of pounds to remove blocks to water supply.

‘To make progress on tackling water scarcity we’re going to be working with the council on a £3million pilot to fit water efficient appliances in existing homes to unlock water supply for new develiopment.

‘This is a plan that is supported by a number of groups, not least local businesses.’ 

Responding to the new Government plans, Ms Nandy said: ‘Britain desperately needs more homes, but another review is a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed to fix the housing crisis.

‘We don’t need more reviews or press releases, we need bold action to get Britain building.

‘That’s why Labour has set out plans to reform the planning system to build the homes we need.

‘We will restore housing targets, reform compulsory purchase rules and take the tough choices to back the builders, not the blockers.’