Housing: Rural Areas Debate

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Lord Campbell-Savours

Main Page: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Housing: Rural Areas

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts
Monday 4th February 2013

(11 years, 3 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Hanham Portrait Baroness Hanham
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My Lords, I am delighted to hear what the noble Baroness has to say because we sometimes hear that nothing is happening in the north, while it is clear that it is, because we have had other examples in this House over the past few weeks. That, therefore, is extremely good news, and I am glad that Northumberland is making use of legislation, as it can, to best effect.

Lord Campbell-Savours Portrait Lord Campbell-Savours
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What is happening over affordable housing on the green belt?

Baroness Hanham Portrait Baroness Hanham
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My Lords, we have made it clear, in the National Planning Policy Framework, that the green belt is virtually sacrosanct, but we recognise that occasionally green belt land needs to be used for affordable housing, although that will need to be replaced. Some green belt land, as the noble Lord knows, is not absolutely brilliant land, so where you can use that rather than going into real open space, it should be used. However, we need affordable housing, and we recognise that.