MPs ‘hope’ to pass Neighbourhood Planning Bill ahead of election
If passed, the Bill will give pubs greater protection against demolition or change of use by developers. However, when the general election was called by the Prime Minister last week there was concern that the legislation would be dropped.
MP, and self-styled pub champion, Greg Mulholland told the House of Commons yesterday that his office had been told by the Department for Communities and Local Government that the “Bill is set to fall, so the change to pub protection it contains would not be made”.
Parliamentary questions
But responding to a question from Mulholland about the future of the Bill, Percy told the House of Commons: “My understanding is that we hope to complete the passage of that legislation before the dissolution of parliament. The change he [Mulholland] refers to has been broadly welcomed by very many people, including, of course, the honourable gentleman, who campaigned for it.”
Mulholland also told The Morning Advertiser that he had had a conversation with MP Gavin Barwell after the parliamentary questions session where Barwell reiterated the “hope” that the NPB would be passed.
The Lords are due to consider amendments to the Bill today, which include the ‘permitted development rights’ that provide extra protection for pubs.
The Morning Advertiser contacted Barwell to confirm the position, but he had not responded by the time this article was published.