§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the basis on which applications for new housing resulting from Government housing targets for the south-east will be permitted on green belt land. [23416]
§ Ms KeebleOur policy in PPG3 on Housing and in Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9) is clear that applications for housing should follow a search sequence, starting with the use of previously developed land and buildings within urban areas identified by the use of housing capacity, the urban extensions, and finally new development around nodes in good public transport corridors. It is for local authorities, in their development plans, to identify sites to be allocated for housing in accordance with the guidance in PPG3 and RPG9.
Our policy in PPG2 on green belts continues to place a presumption against inappropriate development such as housing in the green belt. We consider that green belts in the south-east are important in preventing urban sprawl, in preventing the coalescence of settlements and in protecting the countryside. Indeed RPG9 recognises that there is no regional case for reviewing the boundaries of green belts.