Written question asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative) on Wednesday, 10 December 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 December 2003. It was answered by Keith Hill (Labour) on Monday, 15 December 2003 on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Question: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans there are to allow building on the green belt. - Inc ref to 'Sustainable Communities: building for the future', February 2003.

Answer: Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans there are to allow building on the green belt. [R] [144199] Keith Hill: The Government's planning policies on Green Belts are set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 2 (PPG2). These policies include a general presumption against inappropriate development in the Green Belt. Most new building is inappropriate development in the Green Belt and should not be approved, except in very special circumstances. In preparing development plans for their area and determining planning applications, local planning authorities must have regard to the policies in PPG2 wherever green belt land would be affected. In its action programme, "Sustainable Communities: building for the future", published by the Office of theDeputy Prime Minister in February 2003, the Government included a target for each region to maintain or increase the area of land currently designated as Green Belt in local plans.

Secondary information