Housing Plans: How does this affect the Greenbelt?

NAT

Transcript

00:00That green belt that's been released hosts irreplaceable habitats, grades 1, 2 and 3

00:09agricultural land, which is the best for growing crops, sites of biological importance, extensive

00:15woodland and wetland habitats, and red-listed birds and endangered wildlife will be put

00:21under threat of further decline as a consequence of that plan, which doesn't, by the way,

00:28adhere to the five golden rules for development that Labour announced back in May.

00:35And as a consequence, we're working with a legal team at Leigh Day and barristers at

00:40Landmark Chambers to try and get the reversal of the plan, because we've got no confidence

00:48in what's being proposed by Labour now because of what we've seen happen in Greater Manchester.

00:57Ecologically and ecologically rich sites are being put forward for development without

01:04any appropriate assessments being made to the harm that will be caused, or indeed, in

01:12fact, the cumulative harm from the whole plan.

01:15Throughout the UK, hundreds of grassroots campaign groups continue to fight for green

01:20spaces.

01:21Over 720 groups across the country focus on the campaigning on a variety of environmental

01:27issues.

01:28Labour has said that building on the grey belt developments must offer 50% affordable

01:33housing.

01:34However, some think tank workers have said that the best way to ensure affordable housing

01:39is to increase government investment.

01:41Yeah, I think actually the term grey belt will lead to more confusion in planning.

01:48It's already possible to build on the green belt, and that's obvious not only from what's

01:53happening in Greater Manchester, but also extensively elsewhere in the country.