Greater Cambridge Development Corporation (Establishment) Order 2026

Lord Best Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Best (CB)]

My Lords, I note the criticisms of the new development corporation for Cambridgeshire, as spelled out by the noble Lord, Lord Lansley, from his expert local knowledge, but my comments are from the broader policy perspective. The use of the development corporation model represents a huge opportunity up and down the country to reorder the development of new homes and infrastructure and the regeneration of existing neighbourhoods. Criticisms have abounded of the major housebuilders and developers failing to deliver the quantity or quality of new homes, facilities and infrastructure that they have promised.

Development corporations can do so much better. By capturing the land value, now without the necessity of incorporating hope value, with the possibility of using compulsory purchase powers as a last resort, a development corporation can deliver a high-quality master plan to include much-needed affordable homes and social and community benefits. Delivering new and regeneration schemes is a long-term proposition, during which there may well be changes of political control within local government for the area. The value of the development corporation is not only its public accountability but its longevity, irrespective of the local uncertainties our democracy creates.

Of course, planning decisions that are bound to cause local upset but which are in the national or regional interest—and we need to build 1.5 million new homes—are hard to take at the local authority level. We know from the success of the development corporations already up and running that this model can be a game-changer. Greater Cambridge would be well-served by having its own.

I support this order, and I greatly welcome in principle the establishment of the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation, with or without the modifications recommended by the noble Lord, Lord Lansley.