[1]Search Acumen [2] comments on today’s DCLG Green Belt Statistics, England – 2015/16 [3]:
“Today’s data shows a minimal change in England’s Green Belt area over the past year, no doubt coming as good news to those seeking to protect our countryside and strive for urban regeneration. However the year-on-year drop in the number of local authorities reporting changes to their Green Belt boundaries will be seen as worrying news to those in the property industry as our housing crisis drives on.
“The area of land currently categorised as Green Belt was reduced by less than 0.1% over the past 12 months. Yet we know that a great deal of land currently categorised as Green Belt isn’t particularly special, and could instead be used to create sustainable new developments to support growing urban areas and help to tackle the housing shortage. ”
“In the same week that Redrow have announced record profits and completions, RICS have reported a higher proportion of surveyors expecting sales to increase over the next three months than at any time since February. The uncertain Brexit climate is slowly stabilising, but this time of political uncertainty has distracted us from the underlying issue of housing supply. We should now get on with tackling the biggest threat to a sustainable property market – the housing shortage.”
“If surveyors’ predictions prove correct, the rise in demand will mean more local authorities need to look at their Green Belt and decide where they can find more land for housebuilding. Using our land efficiently will be hugely important if we are to tackle the challenges in our sector and planning reform is the only way this can be effectively accomplished.”