Member

Amendment 241 addresses the concern about land banking, which I know many noble Lords share. The practice of acquiring undeveloped land, holding it for speculative purposes then drip-feeding it into the market, as the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, said, understandably attracts attention, particularly where there are strong pressures to deliver housing or infrastructure more swiftly. My noble friend is right to seek reassurance that the powers in the Bill cannot be used in a way that enables or encourages such behaviour. As my noble friend did, I too ask the Minister again: why have the Government not progressed the powers that are already in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act on land banking?