CONSERVATIVE
New Forest East

LEVELLING UP, HOUSING & COMMUNITIES – EXTRA FLOORS ON APARTMENT BLOCKS - 29 November 2021

LEVELLING UP, HOUSING & COMMUNITIES – EXTRA FLOORS ON APARTMENT BLOCKS - 29 November 2021

Dr Julian Lewis: I am very encouraged to hear that my right hon. Friend is so forward-looking on this matter. May I ask him to explain to the House how one rather backward step took place some months ago, which was the allowing of it to become routine that additional storeys could be added to existing blocks of flats? I have lived through that experience and found not only that it is terrible to have a floor inserted above you, but that when things go horribly wrong with the construction and the company goes bust or winds itself up, it is the leaseholders who have to pay thousands upon thousands of pounds to put right the faults. Would he not like to revisit that change that was made and perhaps suggest that it ought to be looked at again?

[Robert Jenrick: It would not be for me to revisit that even if we wanted to. The purpose of that legislation, which was supported by many Members, was to deliver more homes – particularly on brownfield sites and in urban areas – as part of the mission of us all to deliver more homes and to tackle the housing crisis, and particularly to enable individual homeowners to build upwards on their home as their household expands, particularly if they have young children or if elderly relatives move into the home. That is an important step forward, but, as with any of these changes, we should keep it under review. If there are common instances of abuse or malpractice, we should see whether there are ways to eliminate them.]