Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether it is his policy to require local authorities to release green belt land for housing in the event that is the only developable land available to them.

The National Planning Policy Framework maintains a high level of protection for the Green Belt, and states that local authorities should propose to alter Green Belt boundaries only where they can demonstrate that there are exceptional circumstances and that they have examined all other reasonable options for meeting their identified development needs. They are expected to show that they have been using their brownfield and under-used land; optimising density; and exploring opportunities in neighbouring authority areas under the duty to cooperate. In examining local plans, a planning inspector will look for evidenced justification of any proposed change to a Green Belt, to check that all reasonable alternatives have been considered.

In line with our manifesto commitment, the reform proposals in Planning for the Future, currently out for consultation, do not affect the Framework’s strong protections for Green Belt land.