Eric Pickles has announced that the green belt will be protected from development and retain its role in resisting urban enlargement.
Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, the communities and local government secretary vowed that ministers would not allow the Economic Development Bill to weaken green belt protections or encourage construction on such sites.
‘There has been a lot of press speculation in recent weeks on the green belt. Protecting the character of the countryside is stamped deep into the heart of Conservatism,’ Mr Pickles said.
‘And let me tell you: the green belt plays a vital role in stopping urban sprawl and we will protect it,’ he added.
Responding to the announcement, partner in specialist planning law firm Mills & Reeve, Beverley Firth, said: ‘It was never a serious proposition that the green belt would be given second place to economic growth. If recent planning decisions are anything to go by, the Government has actually gone the other way and is seeking to demonstrate its "protect the green belt" credentials. What would be a real shame here, is if the pressure to save the green belt became so firmly established that green belts were never reviewed.’
