The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles has issued new guidance on the issue of Green Belt protection following what was reported to be his ‘increasing concern’ at the way local councils are willing to use Green Belt land to meet housing targets.
Mr Pickles has unequivocally stated that councils are under no obligation to use Green Belt land to meet housing targets and commented that ‘protecting our Green Belt must be paramount’. Sir Paul wholly endorses the Secretary of State’s comments and noted that ‘this is extremely welcome news and underscores that, despite the poor judgement and questionable actions of the leadership of Guildford Borough Council, the Conservative Party is deeply committed to protecting our beautiful green spaces and rural surroundings.’
Sir Paul continued that ‘this welcome intervention could have been made specifically for the case of Guildford. The Secretary of State highlighted the issue of councils using the spectre of intervention by Whitehall or Westminster as a means of progressing their own plans to build on the Green Belt land. Eric Pickles has shown this to be a nonsense argument and one which residents will not tolerate hearing from Guildford Borough Councillors in the future.’
Turning to the question of the Guildford Borough Council Draft Local Plan Sir Paul commented that ‘I have always said, and said loudly, that the Local Plan proposed by Guildford was inappropriate and destructive. In light of the guidelines laid out by the Secretary of State, this Local Plan and the false rationale it was based on now have absolutely no credibility or legitimacy whatsoever. I call on the leadership of Guildford Borough Council in the strongest possible terms to rewrite this vital document along more sensible, more sustainable and fairer lines.’
It is now the case that 15 new homes every day are now being approved for construction on Green Belt land. When this land is lost it may never be reclaimed and restored to what it once was. In Guildford this has not happened yet, despite the best efforts of certain councillors, Sir Paul has urged all those who have written letters, signed petitions and submitted their own views to take encouragement from this development but be ready to continue the struggle which must go on for ‘as long as it takes for those in positions of authority at Millmead to realise that the destruction of Green Belt land or the rural nature of our villages will never be acceptable.’