At the end of last year, Parliament debated the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill during which Richard spoke to the amendments he put down on that Bill. His speech can be watched here.
Richard's amendments were designed to address 3 areas of concern that are repeatedly highlighted by North East Bedfordshire constituents:
- The loophole that is exploited by developers when confirmation of a local plan is in abeyance. My amendment sought to close this loophole and provide far greater control to local communities about the siting, and type of new developments in their areas, including many aspects of our transition to net zero that are better managed at a community level such as electric vehicle charging points.
- More support for owners of listed buildings who are frequently unable to gain the necessary approvals to make important improvements to their homes such as increased insulation.
- A guarantee of the Conservative manifesto commitment to Infrastructure First with all significant new housing developments. North East Bedfordshire has seen 3-5 times the national average growth and yet GP services and school places have lagged woefully far behind. Too often we see major housebuilding with a promise of the necessary infrastructure but the latter fails to materialise for many years after the houses have all been built and occupied.
Richard Fuller MP said:
Although my amendments were not accepted, I was reassured that my concerns had been noted and some important improvements have been made to the Bill.
More information about Richard's amendments, can be read here.
