You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Government to spend £2m preventing building on green belt
The government is set to spend £2m on preventing illegal development, including on the green belt.
Housing minister Esther McVey today announced that 37 councils across the country will receive up to £50,000 each to tackle rogue developments.
Speaking at the RESI conference in Newport, she revealed that local authorities will be able to use the money to hire enforcement officers, use new technology, and to help meet any legal costs that might arise from having to deal with developers building illegally.
READ MORE
Ms McVey said: “Once the green belt is built on, it’s often gone for good. That’s why we are determined to protect it. The public have told us loud and clear they want it kept for future generations to enjoy.
“The funding announced today will help councils clamp down on rogue developers, giving the areas with the highest levels of green belt the funds needed to punish those who build illegally.”
Inside Housing has asked the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) whether it is aware of any research into the scale of the problem of developers illegally building on the green belt.
The green belt has long been the subject of extensive debate, with some arguing that it prevents the construction of vital housing and others arguing that it needs to be protected more strongly in order to combat urban sprawl.
According to statistics from MHCLG, the green belt was 16,295 square kilometres at the end of March 2018, 100 fewer than it was in 2010/11.
Research by Glenigan has suggested that the number of homes being built on the green belt have been increasing. According to its analysis, there were 8,143 homes built on the green belt in 2017/18, a 92% increase on the previous year.
In an update to the National Planning Policy Framework last year, the government restated its commitment to protecting the green belt.
