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| Councils prepare to allocate greenbelt land for development, study shows | Councils prepare to allocate greenbelt land for development, study shows |
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| More than half of English councils with greenbelt land are preparing to allocate some of it for development ahead of brownfield sites, new research suggests. | More than half of English councils with greenbelt land are preparing to allocate some of it for development ahead of brownfield sites, new research suggests. |
| A survey commissioned by the National Trust found that 30 of the 59 councils that responded who had greenbelt land in their local authority area - 51% - were likely or very likely to allocate it for development in the next five years. | |
| More than half of the 147 respondents to the survey by the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) said they had brownfield sites available that could help meet a five-year housing land supply target – but these had not been considered viable. | More than half of the 147 respondents to the survey by the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) said they had brownfield sites available that could help meet a five-year housing land supply target – but these had not been considered viable. |
| The findings of the survey, conducted over the summer among senior officers and local politicians responsible for public parks, green spaces and planning, come 18 months after the government unveiled its controversial national planning policy framework. In the biggest shake-up of planning law for more than half a century, it cut planning rules from 1,000 to 50 pages in an attempt to speed up and simplify often complex laws and encourage sustainable economic growth. | The findings of the survey, conducted over the summer among senior officers and local politicians responsible for public parks, green spaces and planning, come 18 months after the government unveiled its controversial national planning policy framework. In the biggest shake-up of planning law for more than half a century, it cut planning rules from 1,000 to 50 pages in an attempt to speed up and simplify often complex laws and encourage sustainable economic growth. |
| Under the framework, local authorities are required to work out future housing needs in their area, and allocate sufficient land to meet it, with a "presumption in favour of sustainable development". | Under the framework, local authorities are required to work out future housing needs in their area, and allocate sufficient land to meet it, with a "presumption in favour of sustainable development". |
| The National Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) have repeatedly criticised the new regulations, warning they are a developers' charter that would lead to housebuilders and others concreting over the countryside. | The National Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) have repeatedly criticised the new regulations, warning they are a developers' charter that would lead to housebuilders and others concreting over the countryside. |
| The trust says that government promises to protect the greenbelt while promoting an explicit brownfield-first policy "seem to be coming undone in practice", and that its findings confirm evidence published by the CPRE in August that the area of greenbelt under threat had nearly doubled in a year. | The trust says that government promises to protect the greenbelt while promoting an explicit brownfield-first policy "seem to be coming undone in practice", and that its findings confirm evidence published by the CPRE in August that the area of greenbelt under threat had nearly doubled in a year. |
| The chairman of the National Trust, Simon Jenkins, said: "The greenbelt has been the star feature of British town and country planning for half a century. In one of Europe's most congested countries, it has prevented urban sprawl, protected a vision of rural England and retained access to green spaces for urban dwellers that has been admired worldwide. | The chairman of the National Trust, Simon Jenkins, said: "The greenbelt has been the star feature of British town and country planning for half a century. In one of Europe's most congested countries, it has prevented urban sprawl, protected a vision of rural England and retained access to green spaces for urban dwellers that has been admired worldwide. |
| "Some councils may want to review their greenbelt boundaries as has always been possible, but the planning system as a whole should attach a greater weight to protecting green spaces. | "Some councils may want to review their greenbelt boundaries as has always been possible, but the planning system as a whole should attach a greater weight to protecting green spaces. |
| "The government's definition of sustainable is in practice being interpreted as profitable, and has effectively killed the former planning presumption in favour of brownfield land. What is now happening is a policy of let rip, leading to steady erosion. For the first time in British planning history, planning control is now the slave not the master of profit." | "The government's definition of sustainable is in practice being interpreted as profitable, and has effectively killed the former planning presumption in favour of brownfield land. What is now happening is a policy of let rip, leading to steady erosion. For the first time in British planning history, planning control is now the slave not the master of profit." |
| Chief executive of the LGIU, Jonathan Carr-West, said: "This research shows that the national planning policy framework and targets around housing supply are putting significant strain on councils' ability to protect the greenbelt. It's crucial that we build more houses but we need to allow local authorities the flexibility to take a strategic view on how this should be managed locally." | Chief executive of the LGIU, Jonathan Carr-West, said: "This research shows that the national planning policy framework and targets around housing supply are putting significant strain on councils' ability to protect the greenbelt. It's crucial that we build more houses but we need to allow local authorities the flexibility to take a strategic view on how this should be managed locally." |
| The findings come as new national planning practice guidance is due to be issued by the government early in 2014. The National Trust said this could increase the threat to green spaces by causing local authorities to release more land than is necessary for development in the countryside, including the greenbelt. | The findings come as new national planning practice guidance is due to be issued by the government early in 2014. The National Trust said this could increase the threat to green spaces by causing local authorities to release more land than is necessary for development in the countryside, including the greenbelt. |
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