One in 10 green belt homes ‘affordable’

Just one in 10 homes built on greenbelt land is deemed to be affordable, a report by the Campaign to Protect Rural England has found. The trend looks set to continue, according to analysis of local plans. Of 266,000 homes proposed to be built on undeveloped green-belt land, only a third are likely to be classified as “affordable”. The charity has recommended that councils adopt a “brownfield first” policy when earmarking new areas to build homes.

JUST one in 10 homes built on greenbelt land is deemed to be affordable, a report by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has found.

The study argues that, far from providing much-needed homes for firsttime buyers, development on the green belt is “squandering” the asset.

While some ministers argue that building on the green belt is one of the solutions required to solve the housing crisis, countryside campaigners say developments built on released land over the past decade have failed to deliver affordable homes.

This trend looks set to continue, according to analysis of advanced local plans. Of 266,000 homes proposed to be built on undeveloped green-belt land, only a third of these are likely to be classified as “affordable” according to local policies.

“Building homes on the green belt is not the answer to the housing crisis,” said Tom Fyans, the deputy chief executive of the CPRE. “Indeed, in terms of the green belt, it’s clear that we are reaching a tipping point.

“The increasing number of new homes proposed on the green belt has continued to rise since the report was first undertaken in 2012, despite the fact that these homes are not delivering promised affordable housing.”

Mr Fyans added: “We must not allow our green belt to be gobbled up, but instead focus on building affordable homes in which young struggling families can actually live.”

The countryside charity has recommended that councils adopt a “brownfield first” policy when earmarking new areas to build homes.

“Our research shows that there is enough brownfield land to make way for more than one million homes,” Mr Fyans said.

“CPRE is calling on the Government to start implementing new and existing positive solutions now to ensure that future generations can enjoy these much loved landscapes,” he added.

However, ministers have signalled their support for building on the green belt. At the Conservative conference earlier this month, Esther Mcvey, the housing minister, said she would approve building on preserved sites if it was backed by local residents.

She said: “I would put it to the local community and ask them whether they think their green belt is car parks and whether it should be classed as green belt at all. Then we can reclassify and build on it.

“I don’t believe in statist, top-down policy; I believe in going from the ground up.”

Liz Truss, the International Trade Secretary, said earlier this year that she believed the Government should build a million homes on the green belt around railway stations.

“We need to build a million homes on the London green belt near railway stations, and around other growing cities, specifically to allow the under-40s to be able to own their homes,” Ms Truss added.