THE hot topic of community infrastructure and the impact of new developments on towns and villages in North Cornwall has been raised in Parliament.

It comes as a planning officer at Cornwall Council is set to make the final decision in the coming days and weeks on an application by Wainhomes to excuse itself of paying towards infrastructure in Bodmin.

Ben Maguire, the Liberal Democrat member of parliament for North Cornwall has raised what he describes as an "infrastructure emergency" facing his constituency with Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook.

Mr Maguire cited the case of Wainhomes seeking to withdraw £348,798 in promised funding for schools, healthcare and other infrastructure in Bodmin.

The MP says more than 3,000 new homes are due to be built by 2030 - and pushed the Minister to give Cornwall 'greater control over infrastructure levies' as part of the ongoing devolution negotiations.

His efforts come just one week after Andy Burnham, the new Prime Minister, acknowledged that "Cornwall lacks a basic level of infrastructure which in turn harms growth and holds back living standards and life chances."

Speaking after his intervention, Mr Maguire said: “North Cornwall faces an infrastructure emergency. Bodmin is far from the only example across our constituency, and I’ve previously written directly to the Minister about this specific case, alongside local Cornwall Councillors Dan Rogerson, Leigh Frost and Chris Batters. I was pleased to follow up on this in the Commons and demand answers.

"The Prime Minister himself admits Cornwall "lacks basic infrastructure” - something we’ve known here, and dealt with the realities of, for far too long. If we're serious about addressing the emergency we face, then Cornwall urgently needs much greater control over infrastructure levies, similar to other local authorities.

“This is exactly the kind of power I'll be keeping firmly in mind as our devolution talks continue."