December 13th 2024.
The government has recently announced significant changes to their planning policies in an effort to address the housing crisis in Britain. As part of these reforms, councils throughout the UK will be required to relinquish portions of the green belt to meet the government's new housing targets. While the government has committed to building 1.5 million homes over the next five years, this plan has sparked controversy as it will involve reviewing and potentially altering green belt boundaries.
Under this new national planning policy, priority will be given to developing what is known as the "grey belt" land - areas of the green belt that are of low quality and have little value for nature. However, many critics warn that this approach could lead to the loss of green space and harm to natural habitats. One of these critics is the National Trust, whose Placemaking and Heritage Director, Ingrid Samuel, has expressed concern that these changes could result in the loss of green space, inadequate infrastructure, and negative impacts on both communities and nature.
Labour's proposed plan to build 370,000 homes per year has also faced backlash, with some fearing that it could also put the green belt at risk. However, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner remains firm in her stance that the housing needs of people must take precedence over the needs of newts. She acknowledges that previous governments have not done enough to address the housing crisis and is determined to take bold and decisive action to fix it.
Despite criticism, the government is standing by its "golden rule approach," which requires developers to provide essential infrastructure such as GP surgeries, transportation, and nurseries when building on green belt land. To support this process, the government is providing local councils with £300 million and 300 additional planning officers.
This approach has been praised by Friends of the Earth's Head of Policy, Mike Childs, who recognizes the need for more affordable homes but also stresses the importance of maintaining a balance and providing necessary infrastructure in areas where development does occur. Childs also advocates for rent controls to help young people get onto the housing ladder and ensure a better future for the next generation.
According to the government, there are currently 1.3 million households on council house waiting lists and 160,000 homes with children living in temporary accommodation. These new housing plans will focus on areas that are currently out of reach for ordinary people and have the greatest potential for growth. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has stated that brownfield land alone will not be enough to meet these targets and that the government has listened to feedback from councils calling for a more targeted approach to housing development in areas with high affordability pressures.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, a green belt is an area of open land surrounding a city where development is restricted. Its purpose is to prevent urban sprawl and provide access to nearby countryside for those living in cities. The green belt covers 13% of England and was established over 70 years ago. The government's "golden rule approach" involves reclassifying some green belt land as "grey belt" to make it available for housing development.
Finally, it's worth noting that the previous Conservative government had set lower targets for housebuilding, with a goal of 300,000 new homes per year and one million over the course of their term. However, the current Labour government has set an even higher target of 370,000 new homes per year. While the figures for 2023-24 are not yet available, annual housebuilding numbers for 2021-22 and 2022-23 were just under 235,000 each year during the previous Conservative government's time in power.
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