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Communities and Local Government ministers and officials have hit back at suggestions the Government's ambitious house-building targets and critical infrastructure proposals will lead to a new wave of green belt erosion. Concern is mounting that up to 30 towns across England could lose parts of their green belt, as the Government pushes ahead with plans for tens of thousands of new homes, decided on a regional, and not local, basis. Media reports have claimed a local ‘Nimby' fightback against the regional housing proposals in Surrey, for example. But housing minister, John Healey, is adamant England's future housing needs must be considered on a regional basis. ‘What might have been the best thing for Rotherham or Reigate 20 years ago, when the green belt boundaries were set, may now be a case for considering what those boundaries are,' he said. Explaining the CLG's approach further, a departmental spokesman this week told The MJ: ‘The Government has put in place robust rules which protect green belt land and we have no plans to change them. Our clear priority will remain to build on brown field land. In fact, over 70% of new developments are being built on brown field land and, nationally, the amount of green belt land continues to grow, with a 33,000ha increase since 1997.' Conservative MPs have also threatened to overhaul government plans for an independent planning body to decide on sites for large infrastructure projects next spring, if the party wins next year's general election. But the CBI business lobby is concerned that an immediate overhaul just months after a general election would lead to ‘a huge amount of nervousness' among firms capable of building, for example, the new generation of nuclear power stations.

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CLG rejects fears of green belt 'erosion'

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