Planning and Infrastructure Bill Report Stage: New Clause 43

What happened: Parliament voted on New Clause 43 to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill during its Report Stage on 9 June 2025. The new clause concerned compulsory purchase order (CPO) compensation arrangements, specifically seeking to strengthen protections for landowners and occupiers facing compulsory acquisition. The motion was defeated by 334 votes to 167.

Why it matters: The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is a major piece of legislation designed to accelerate housing delivery and infrastructure development across England. New Clause 43 touched on the compensation framework under which people can be forced to give up their land or homes through CPO powers. Its defeat means the existing compensation arrangements remain in place, and the additional protections sought for farmers, homeowners and business owners facing compulsory acquisition were not added to the Bill. The outcome reinforces the government's preference for a streamlined planning system centred on national targets and development speed rather than enhanced individual compensation rights.

The politics: The vote divided sharply along party lines. All 328 Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs who voted did so against the new clause, while Conservatives (95), Liberal Democrats (55), Reform UK (6), most independents (8), and the Democratic Unionist Party (2) all voted in favour. There were no rebels on either side. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, despite differing on many issues, united in opposing what they characterised as excessive centralisation and inadequate community and environmental protections in the Bill. The government went on to pass the Bill at Third Reading the following day, 306 to 174, with opposition parties continuing to argue the legislation failed rural communities, farmers and environmental standards.