The Government Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities has responded to the national petition which calls for a ban on developments on Green Belt and Greenfield sites across the country.
The ‘exceptional circumstances’ offered by our council are out of date
The statement says that ‘This Government is committed to protecting and enhancing the Green Belt, in line with our manifesto. Our strong protections for the Green Belt remain firmly in place. The National Planning Policy Framework states that a Green Belt boundary may be altered only in exceptional circumstances through the local plan process.’
The ‘exceptional circumstances’ our council is using to justify green belt take is housing need. Our council is using out of date projections on housing need from 2012, instead of more recent 2018 projections which halve that need.
Neighbouring authorities should be used to prevent Green Belt release not to justify it!
‘A local authority should consider releasing land from Green Belt only if it can fully evidence that it has explored all other reasonable options for meeting its development needs. The authority should be able to show that it has been using brownfield land as much as possible, optimising the density of development, and discussing with neighbouring authorities whether they could accommodate some of the development required.’
Our Borough Local Plan makes provision for over 16,000 new homes, over-delivering by over 2,000 on 2012 projections for need, and by over 8,000 on 2018 projections. Our council’s justification, is that it’s building for a neighbouring borough. According to government policy, local authorities are supposed to ask neighbouring boroughs to help to prevent Green Belt development, not promote it!
The Framework recognises the value of green space for well-being
The policy also says that ‘The Framework recognises that green infrastructure and accessible green space are beneficial to our health and well-being.’ The golf course is publicly owned Green Belt in our town centre, perfectly placed to provide these health and wellbeing benefits for the people of Maidenhead. We are already seeing the majority of the Borough’s housing need for 2013-2033 being met in their town centre, much of it in flats, so access to greenspace is more important than ever.
Local authorities are expected to protect woodlands
The Policy goes on to say that local authorities are expected ‘to protect and enhance valued landscapes, soils and sites of biodiversity value, including trees and woodland.’
Around 40 per cent of Maidenhead Golf Course is woodland, so it’s completely inappropriate for development, particularly when a climate emergency has been declared.
Planning policies should minimise impacts on biodiversity
The statement says ‘The Framework makes clear that planning policies and decisions should minimise the impacts on biodiversity and provide net gains. The Environment Act that will protect and enhance our environment for future generations has now passed into UK law.’
Maidenhead golf course is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including many protected and threatened species like owls, slow worms, bats, hedgehogs, kestrels and red kites. Britain is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world with one in seven species facing extinction, so it’s vital we protect remaining habitats.
Making the most of brownfield land
The statement says ‘this Government is committed to making the most of brownfield land. The Framework strongly encourages regeneration and re-use of brownfield, especially for housing, to help levelling up and relieve some of the pressure to consider greenfield land.’
There are many brownfield sites in our Borough, and these have increased in number since the pandemic.
The Government’s statement says that ‘To support the take-up of brownfield, Government has set up the £4.35 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund; the £4.95 billion Home Building Fund; the £400 million Brownfield Housing Fund; and the £75 million Brownfield Land Release Fund. At Autumn Budget the Chancellor announced a further £300 million of locally-led grant funding for Mayoral Combined Authorities and local authorities to unlock smaller brownfield sites for housing.’
Representatives of our council have repeatedly said that it’s more expensive to develop brownfield. These funds help to bridge that gap, so that precious publicly owned greenspace isn’t developed.
To sign the petition and see the full government response, go to: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/600577?reveal_response=yes
This is a publicly owned space given to the residents of Maidenhead for perpetuity and greatly valued by all who live in Maidenhead. We have never agree to the sale of this land and are now being bullied in this sale in order to prop up a failing council who have misused the council tax over a number of years.
This is a publicly owned space given to the residents of Maidenhead for perpetuity and greatly valued by all who live in Maidenhead. We have never agree to the sale of this land and are now being bullied in this sale in order to prop up a failing council who have misused the council tax over a number of years.
Good to know the council is interesting in taking care of flora and fauna! if they venture up the Willows path near the top end brambles are blocking the pathway with big viscous thorns all ready to spike anyone, have reported it twice but no action…