Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Lab)

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Best, and the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, for the amendments in this group. The Government are clear that the provision of appropriate housing for older and disabled people is crucial in helping them to live safe and independent lives. Amendment 139, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Best, seeks to ensure that new housing meets the needs of older and disabled people in spatial development strategies. Local planning authorities already have the means to support the delivery of accessible, adaptable homes. Planning policy is clear that authorities should assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including older and disabled people, and set clear policies to address these needs. They can apply enhanced technical standards from the building regulations through planning conditions. Where there is a demonstrated local need, authorities are expected to make use of the technical standards to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing, which can include setting out the proportion of new housing that will be delivered to M4(2) and M4(3) standards. The Government are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to a home that meets their individual needs, and we will soon outline our approach to accessible new-build housing. Amendment 152, in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Best, is on the same topic. Although I agree with the need to ensure that the housing needs of older people are considered when preparing spatial development strategies, the existing provision for strategic planning authorities to have regard to the need to ensure that their spatial development strategies are consistent with current national policy will ensure that this objective is met. As I have previously set out, national planning policy already contains clear expectations on assessing and reflecting the housing needs of older and disabled people. Amendment 153, in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, is on community engagement in the process. It seeks to ensure that disabled people are aware of the publication of the draft SDS and have the opportunity to make representations at examination hearings. The Government are committed to ensuring that local communities are actively involved in shaping spatial development strategies for their areas, which is why, under the Bill, everyone has a right to make representation on a draft strategy. We do, however, think it is appropriate to let strategic planning authorities determine the most effective approach to managing their engagement with local communities on their spatial development strategies. Local planning authorities will no longer be required to produce a statement of community involvement, following the implementation of changes introduced by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. In light of this, it would not be appropriate to impose a similar obligation on strategic planning authorities. Likewise, I do not believe it is necessary to confer a formal right to be heard at the examination of a spatial development strategy. The spatial development strategies are intended to be high-level documents that provide a strategic framework for subsequent local plans, which must be in general conformity with them. Unlike local plans, SDSs do not allocate specific sites for development. It is therefore more appropriate for individuals to have the right to appear at local plan examinations, while keeping examinations of spatial development strategies proportionate to their strategic role. I am grateful to the noble Lords for tabling their amendments and facilitating an interesting debate on the subject. However, for the reasons given, I hope they will not press their amendments.