Westminster Report

BY The Rt Hon Mark Francois Member of Parliament for Rayleigh and Wickford.

Calling out Labour’s plans to concrete over our Green Belt .

The Green Belt is one of Britain’s most treasured assets, protecting our countryside and maintaining the character of our communities. Yet, Labour seems intent on dismantling it, pushing forward with plans that will bulldoze swathes of protected land and undermine the democratic rights of local residents.

Their proposed housing policies, driven by arbitrary algorithms and top-down targets threaten not only our environment, but also our way of life.

Indeed, I raised this issue in the House of Commons recently during a debate on ‘Reforms to the Planning Committee.’

During this debate I said the following: “Labour-led Basildon Borough Council’s new draft plan is at the Regulation 18 stage, but it proposes a completely unsustainable 27,000 new properties across the Borough, including 4,300 in Wickford, in my constituency, which is completely unsustainable and would involve concreting over whole swathes of our local Green Belt.

“As well as reimposing mandatory housing targets, which are an insult to local democracy, why is Labour now trying to neuter local planning committees of democratically elected councillors, taking away the say of local people, when it is desperately difficult to persuade people to vote in local elections as it is?” (Volume, 758, Column, 685).

The Minister for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, simply replied that Labour is “determined to get these homes built,” regardless of local opposition.

Labour’s approach is an affront to democracy. Their plans impose housing quotas from Whitehall, ignoring the voices of local residents and the capacity of existing infrastructure. It is already challenging to engage people in local elections, yet Labour seeks to further erode trust by neutering the power of local planning committees.

These committees, made up of democratically elected councillors, are meant to represent local people’s interests. What Labour proposes is to bypass this entirely, forcing communities to accept overdevelopment without proper consultation.

On top of this, the scale of Labour’s housing ambition is staggering — and reckless. Their plans to reintroduce mandatory housing targets aim to deliver 370,000 homes annually.

 These targets are calculated using a computer algorithm, devoid of local context or practical sense. For areas like Rochford District, this means a leap from a suggested 356 homes per year to a binding 675. That’s akin to building a new High Elms Park development in Hullbridge, every year.

Linked to this, Lib Dem Rochford District Council has yet to produce a new local plan for the District, but that too needs to be sustainable and mindful of the infrastructure pressures we already face.

Our infrastructure simply cannot cope. Roads like the A127 and A13 are already gridlocked during peak hours, and vital services such as schools, GP surgeries, and hospitals are struggling to meet demand.

 Labour’s plan to cram thousands more houses into South Essex without addressing these issues is irresponsible and unsustainable.

It is true that Britain needs more homes. Young people should not be forced to live with their parents indefinitely. However, housebuilding must be done in a way that respects local communities and ensures developments are sustainable. This means building high-quality homes in appropriate locations, supported by the necessary infrastructure, and shaped by local input. In short, there is such a thing as successful development, but it has to be done with people and not too people.

Instead of Labour’s top-down approach, we should empower local communities through Neighbourhood Plans.

 These allow towns and villages to decide how their areas grow, what infrastructure is needed, and how to ensure developments benefit existing and new residents alike. It is a process that works with the grain of local sentiment and knowledge, rather than against it.

To make matters worse, research by the Local Government Association reveals that over one million homes with planning permission remain unbuilt. Developers should therefore be incentivised to complete these projects before any consideration is given to building on protected land. The Green Belt is not just about preserving pretty views; it plays a vital role in food production, flood prevention, and maintaining biodiversity.

More locally, as I set out in my General Election campaign, I am particularly concerned about proposals to develop Dollymans Farm, a Green Belt site between Rayleigh and Wickford. This plan represents urban sprawl at its worst, threatening the environment and quality of life for local residents. The man or woman in Whitehall does not know best.

Local councillors, who live and work in their communities, are far better placed to make decisions about development. Labour’s plans strip away this local knowledge, replacing it with a one-size-fits-all approach that will do more harm than good.

As a constituency MP, I am committed to fighting these proposals both locally and in Parliament. I will continue to stand up for our Green Belt, for sustainable development, and for the principle that decisions affecting local communities should be made by those who know them best.

Labour’s plans to concrete over our countryside are not just an environmental threat; they are an attack on democracy itself. I will continue to fight this flawed vision and demand a better, fairer approach to development, one that respects our local communities.

 

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