Protecting Green Belts

EDM number 443 in 2012-13, proposed by Greg Mulholland on 03/09/2012.
Categorised under the topics of Countryside and Planning.

That this House recognises the success of green belts in preventing urban sprawl, stopping towns and cities from joining together, safeguarding the countryside from encroachment, protecting the setting of historic towns and encouraging urban regeneration and the reuse of brownfield land; notes that in England there is sufficient brownfield land available and suitable for almost 1.5 million new homes; further notes that the Coalition Agreement commits the Government to maintain the green belt, and that the National Planning Policy Framework published in March protects green belts and states that `their essential characteristics are their openness and their permanence'; is concerned at reports that protections for green belts could be weakened; and calls on the Government to restate its firm commitment to maintaining existing green belt controls and the key principle that land in green belts can only be developed in exceptional or very special circumstances.

This motion has been signed by a total of 23 MPs.