Housing Land

HC Deb 24 January 1973 vol 849 cc429-30

1. Sir Gilbert Longden

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the response to his proposals announced on 27th April for releasing more land for housebuilding.

The Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Geoffrey Rippon)

The response so far has been encouraging. Planning permissions have been given for large additional acreages of land in both the South East and the West Midlands, and provisional approval has been given to borrowing by local authorities of some £21 million to buy land for sale to builders. In addition it is estimated that by April some 500 more acres will be released for private housing in South-East new towns.

Sir Gilbert Longden

I thank my right hon. and learned Friend for that answer. Will he reassure me and many others who care for what remains of the countryside around our great cities that this injunction to local authorities does not mean that they will have to encroach on the green belt?

Mr. Rippon

There is a general presumption against development in the green belt. That remains the situation.

Mr. Evelyn King

Does that consideration apply equally to rural land in the south and south-west of England, and are releases there taking place at a similar rate?

Mr. Rippon

It is fairly general, and local authorities have been particularly asked to release land in pressure areas. A great deal depends on the nature of the local housing problem.

Mr. Lipton

How much land has been released outside the Metropolitan area? That is where the need is greatest and where the green belt is operating as a restriction on housing development.

Mr. Rippon

It has often been said that there is a general presumption against development in green belts. One can allow incursions into the green belt in exceptional circumstances and where it can be shown that some part of the green belt has no amenity, social or agricultural value. There is a great deal of land which can be released which is not in green belts and that is the basis on which generally we are proceeding.