Guy Opperman
Main Page: Guy Opperman (Conservative - Hexham)(12 years, 2 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Mr Pickles
If the right hon. Gentleman will forgive me for saying so, he represented the heavy hand of centralism and I represent muscular localism.
Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con)
The confirmation of green belt protection and the fact that county councils will retain responsibility for it are very welcome. We have thousands of empty homes in Newcastle and Northumberland that are not being utilised, so I welcome the further funding. Will the Secretary of State send forth the message that it is those empty homes that will benefit from the refurbishment money and those brownfield sites that local authorities should be building on, not green-belt rural sites?
Mr Pickles
My hon. Friend should also remember the new homes bonus, which is available for getting houses back. The place where I lived a quarter of a century ago in Bradford has benefited enormously as a result of getting homes that were previously not occupied back into use. He makes a very reasonable point about the amount of brownfield land that can be developed, and this is a way we can get building going.