Member

The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 also introduced a new duty on all development corporations to have regard to sustainable development and climate change mitigation and adaptation, which would support the broader assessment that the noble Lord is seeking beyond best value alone. It is right that local authorities and development corporations should be able to determine the most important objectives in their area and pursue them flexibly. This duty would restrict flexibility in the objectives they pursue and how they use land to achieve them. As drafted, the amendment would require local authorities and development corporations to weigh the balance of a number of planning and environmental policies. I am therefore also concerned by the potential for additional legal risk on local authorities and development corporations which dispose of land if other organisations disagree with their decision. This risk could paralyse decision-making, and on that basis, I hope the noble Lord will withdraw his amendment.