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Closed Developers should make new medium to large housing estates fully adoptable.

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Currently new roads for some of these estates are not made up to a good standard and local authorities don't necessarily want to adopt them.

We feel that as a condition of planning applications, developers of medium to large housing developments should be required to enter into agreements with local authorities to construct roads that meet adoptable standards and this should be reflected in amended legislation of the Section 38 agreement of the Highways Act 1980.

Otherwise under the current situation, poorly constructed roads could continue and residents can be made to pay for upkeep of roads if they are not adopted.

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  • Related activity

    Government responds to petition on Infrastructure Adoption

    The Government has responded to a public (paper) petition calling for a clear standards framework for infrastructure adoption, ensure housing developers, local authorities and water utilities work together to achieve timely infrastructure adoption, and, where necessary, legislate to secure adoption. The petition was presented to the House of Commons by Andrew Cooper MP on behalf of residents of the constituency of Mid Cheshire.

    The petition asks the House of Commons to develop a clear standards framework for infrastructure adoption, ensure housing developers, local authorities and water utilities work together to achieve timely infrastructure adoption, and, where necessary, legislate to secure adoption.

    In response to the petition's request, the Government states that it recognises concerns about delays in the adoption of roads, sewers, drainage systems, green spaces and other shared infrastructure on new housing estates, which can leave homeowners responsible for maintenance costs through private estate management arrangements. To address this, it launched a consultation on 18 December 2025 on reducing the use of these arrangements in England, seeking views on increasing adoption by public authorities and utility companies, introducing common standards, considering mandatory adoption of certain infrastructure, removing incentives for non-adoption, and improving transparency.

    The Government is also commissioning research into road adoption processes and considering lessons from Welsh legislation that supports earlier approval and adoption of drainage and sewerage infrastructure. Alongside this, planning policy already requires sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) on new developments, with new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requirements introducing national design standards. The Government will consider consultation responses before setting out next steps, with the aim of reducing privately managed estates, improving the quality and consistency of adoptable infrastructure, and ensuring residents are not left facing avoidable costs or uncertain responsibilities.

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    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 6 September 2025.