Julian welcomes new £200 million fund to protect greenbelt land
August 14, 2014
The campaign to protect York’s greenbelt has received a major boost as the Planning Minister announced a new fund to promote development on brownfield sites.
Councils across the country can bid for government funding to build thousands of new homes on brownfield land. The £200 million fund will be shared between 10 new housing zones, all outside of London, each delivering between 750 to 2,000 new homes. Since 2010 the government has taken steps to ensure that as much brownfield land as possible is prioritised for new housing development. By 2015 100,000 new homes will have been constructed on previously developed state owned land.
The Planning Minister, Brandon Lewis, said “We need to build more homes in this country, but it’s also vital we protect the countryside that people rightly treasure. That’s why the government is offering councils a share of £200 million to prioritise development on brownfield land. The new dedicated housing zones will transform disused and derelict land, and ensure the new homes are built quickly in a process that is more straightforward for councils and builders.”
Julian was recently promoted as the Planning Minister’s Parliamentary Private Secretary and has welcomed the announcement. He said “I have been urging the Government to do more to protect our valuable greenbelt land and am delighted by the funding announcement. Across the country the level of greenbelt development is at its lowest rate since modern records began in 1989 and York Council should be following the Government’s lead in protecting our surrounding countryside for the benefit of future generations.
“The Council’s unsustainable housing policies overlook the great potential of York’s brownfield land like the British Sugar and York Central tear drop sites. 85% of all the land allocated for housing in York is set to take place on greenbelt land which is simply unacceptable. In their current form the Council’s plans will not only result in horrendous traffic problems for residents living near the outer ring road, but will also deprive future generations the green and open spaces surrounding our historic city.”
