Question
In coastal communities like mine, the issue is not the rate of house building, but the rate of affordable house building. In 2024-25, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council built just 89 affordable homes. What plans do the Government have to take back land that developers are banking and to start building the council houses we need?
Answer
My hon. Friend will not have to wait long for a package of build-out transparency measures, which will include the right for local authorities to refuse permission in instances where particular developers repeatedly get planning consent but do not build out the sites.
Verdict: RED (23/100)
The reply gives a concrete answer on the first point, about land that developers hold without building on it. It describes a build-out transparency package and a right for councils to refuse permission to developers who repeatedly fail to build out. It does not address compulsory purchase or any power to take back land already held, which was the specific mechanism asked about. The second point, about council housebuilding and plans to build council homes, is not addressed at all. A member of the public would likely need to ask again for both the compulsory purchase answer and the council housebuilding answer.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What plans the Government has to take back land that developers are banking (for example, through compulsory purchase or other powers to reclaim unused land). | Partially Addressed | Direct | The reply names a concrete build-out transparency package and a right for councils to refuse permission to developers who repeatedly fail to build out, which addresses the problem of banked land. It does not mention compulsory purchase or any power to take back land already held, which is the specific mechanism the item asked about. |
| What plans the Government has to start building council houses. | Not Addressed | Generic | Neither statement refers to council housebuilding, local authority building programmes, or any plans to start building council homes. |