§ Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of new house building in the South East he estimates will be on Green Belt land up to 2020; and if he will make it his policy to prevent all new house building on Green Belt in the South East up to 2020. [163534]
§ Keith Hill: Government policy on Green Belts is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 2 (PPG2). It remains the policy to protect Green Belts as far as can be seen ahead and boundaries must be altered only exceptionally. Decisions on the need to alter boundaries in order to accommodate development are for regional planning bodies and local planning authorities in the first instance. Any proposals for changes should be brought forward through the regional and local planning process in order to ensure that they are subject to public consultation and scrutiny.
It is not be possible to estimate what proportion of development in the South East will be on Green Belt land up to 2020 until new regional spatial strategies (RSS) for the East of England and the South East are issued, probably in 2006 and 2007 respectively.