'Green belt shouldn't be sacrosanct' Countryside Alliance supports new Labour review of land
30 June 2024, 09:40 | Updated: 30 June 2024, 09:51
The Countryside Alliance has admitted that the green belt isn't "sacrosanct" and said they'd support a review of the land, as Labour eyes it up for home-building opportunities.
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CEO Tim Bonner told LBC's Matthew Wright has supported Labour's new housebuilding plans "because we've got to be realistic".
On Sunday morning, he said: "We think there is a third way, and that involves accepting the green belt isn't sacrosanct.
"It shouldn't be sacrificed but it certainly shouldn't be sacrosanct.
"The impression that most of us have is that...green belt is very special, the reality is that much of it isn't.
"It's not like a national park, it hasn't been designated because it's extraordinarily beautiful, it's been designated just where it is.
"So we would support a review of the green belt, because we've got to be realistic.
"We all know the challenges, we all know there needs to be more housing and not just housing."
Countryside Alliance would support a review of the green belt
At least three housing announcements are expected in the first two weeks of a Labour government which will include a local authority-led review of green belt land, according to reports.
This comes after Sir Keir pledged to “hit the ground running” and increase housebuilding from “day one” while campaigning on Saturday.
The party leader has previously said he would take a "yimby" - which stands for "yes in my backyard" - approach to new housing while still protecting the countryside.
He had also said he was an advocate for more affordable housing in the UK - in contrast to the culture of 'nimbyism", where people object to new developments near existing homes.
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Green belt sites were introduced to limit urban sprawl by making areas strictly controlled.
The reclassification of just 1 percent green belt sites in England could lead to as many as 738,000 new homes, according to research by Searchland, a specialist development site sourcing company.
