§ Mr. Mc WalterTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps(a) to conserve the green belt in Hertfordshire and (b) to ensure that towns to the north of the M25 retain their distinctive character and are not joined together by ribbon development. [134544]
§ Keith HillHertfordshire is an area with strong housing pressures and very high house prices. Much of the county is covered by green belt. Through the Communities Plan the Government are committed to addressing the housing shortage in the greater south east by ensuring house building rates in existing plans are met and, where appropriate—with a strong emphasis on the growth areas—such rates are increased.
Government policy is that the essential characteristic of green belts is their permanence, that established boundaries should only be reviewed in exceptional circumstances, and that at the regional level the extent of green belt should at least be retained.
Notwithstanding the presumption that capacity within urban areas should be used first and the exemplary approach of Hertfordshire county council towards developing urban capacity, we accept that in the Hertfordshire context some limited local releases of green belt are likely to be required. The location of these will be defined through the regional planning and local 207W planning processes. This will not lead to changing the distinctive character of individual towns and will ensure they are not joined by ribbon development.