Rishi Sunak says Conservative reforms mean that wherever development happens it will be “accompanied by the appropriate funding for local infrastructure” when asked how the region will cope with 150,000 additional new homes.
The Prime Minister made the comments in response to a question from the Cambridge Independent about how the area can accommodate 150,000 more homes, when there is not the water supply for those already planned or a transport infrastructure that can cope.
The Tory leader, who was speaking to party supporters at an event at Cambridge Rugby Club on Monday (17 June), said the Conservatives “want to build homes in the places where they should be”.
“That’s why we’ve changed the planning framework, so that we do not impose top down housing targets on local communities,” he told the crowd. “That is a change that I made, that the government made to the planning framework, and that is in direct contrast to the Labour Party, who have said that they will impose top down targets on local areas. I don’t believe that’s right. Neither does Chris (Carter-Chapman) or Lucy (Frazer).”
Concerns have been raised by local politicians, community groups and residents after housing secretary Michael Gove announced he had set up a Cambridge growth company and plans a development company to deliver 150,000 homes in the region by 2050.
Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council are already working on a Local Plan to deliver around 49,000 new homes by 2040, but have raised major concerns over water shortages which are holding up some current developments like Bourn Airfield.
Mr Sunak said: “We want to protect our green spaces. That’s why we’ve taken the approach that we have, and also our reforms; the infrastructure levy means that wherever development does happen, it will be accompanied by the appropriate funding for local infrastructure because that, again, is the right thing to do.”
The PM also took questions on whether a Conservative government would commit to continuing the East West Rail (EWR) project and what his party would do to support High Street businesses. Mr Sunak said his party would “gather all the views of local communities on the best way to move forward with the scheme” in reference to EWR, adding that he wants to “invest more in local transport”.
He said: “More generally, what I’d also say is, I want to invest more in local transport. That’s why I made the decision on HS2, so we could reinvest every penny that we would have spent on that on local transport across the country – whether that’s maintaining local roads, investing in fixing potholes or championing buses, which are particularly important in this part of the country.
“We have kept a bus fare cap to £2, which is enormously valuable and makes a difference to people, and Ely Junction is a project that can now get funded as a result of the HS2 decision. So my priority is investing in local transport in Cambridgeshire.
“We’re able to do that because of the decision I made on HS2. That funding and those resources would not be there unless the Labour Party decided to support what I’ve done, which they haven’t done, so that’s the choice for people at this election.”
In October 2023, Mr Sunak announced phase 2 of HS2 would be abandoned.