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Gareth Thomas MP (Harrow West) is
the new President of the London
Green Belt Council. He has a keen
interest in the topic and has
promised to take on an active role
in safeguarding the Green Belt. He
has already put two parliamentary
questions to the Minister for
Communities and Local Government
concerning Green Belt protection
in future revised planning
guidance and in "Right to Build"
legislation.
Gareth Thomas
biography
Parliamentary
questions raised by Gareth
Thomas
The
proposed National Planning
Policy Framework and Localism
Bill fail to protect the Green
Belt
The draft Framework does not
reproduce the clear statement in
current policy guidance (PPG 2)
that ‘the quality of the
landscape is not relevant to the
inclusion of land within a Green
Belt or to its continued
protection’ This is
important because it is a common
misconception that Green Belt is
there to protect the
landscape. It isn’t.
Its purpose is to control urban
sprawl and prevent towns and
villages merging into one another.
This has to be put right because
the idea that landscape value is
important to Green Belt leads to
its break-up as people to try to
distinguish between Green Belt of
‘higher’ or ‘lower’ quality.
In fact, it is the Green Belt
right up against the edge of a
built up area (which often may be
quite scruffy) which is the most
important. If that
contaiment is lost, the
Green Belt has immediately failed
in its objective of preventing
sprawl.
Furthermore, the draft Framework
would allow any development under
the new ‘Community Right to Build
Orders’ to override Green Belt
Policy. This would be quite
contrary to the Government’s
stated aim to maintain protection
of the Green Belt.
These issues must be addressed
before the Framework is finalized
and the Bill becomes law.
Links to some other organisations'
responses to the consultation:
CPRE (HQ)
Wildlife
& Countryside Link
Oxford
Green Belt Network
The
National Trust
The
Environment Agency
The
Royal Town Planning Institute
Lower
Sunbury Residents Association
Some other links:
CPRE urge take
action - write to your MP
Telegraph
on-line campaign
CPRE/Natural
England - National Green Belt
Survey completed
In 2010. the Campaign to
Protect Rural England completed
its 'Green Belt: a greener future'
survey. It hopes the result of
this will influence Government on
how to make the best future use of
the Green Belt. The first major
survey of the environmental state
of Green Belt land and the
benefits it provides for people
and wildlife.
To
read the report, click here
Click
here for a copy of the
Metropolitan Green Belt fact
sheet
The
London Plan
The Mayor has published the
replacement of the spatial
development strategy for London –
known as the London
Plan.
From 22nd July 2011 this replaces
the London Plan (consolidated with
alterations since 2004) which was
published in February 2008. The
earlier document now has no formal
effect.
To
refer to the plan, click here
Rail
Freight Interchange at Borough
Green in Kent
The proposed interchange
threatens 150 hectares within the
Green Belt. A formal planning
application is expected later this
year, if the Kent International
Gateway, a nearby scheme, fails to
gain approval. CPRE/Protect Kent
is strenunously opposing the
scheme with strong local support.
A meeting of over 300 people held
in Wrotham on October 22nd 2009
was addressed by Sir John Stanley
MP, Cllr Paul Carter, Leader KCC,
and Nick Herbert MP, Shadow
Secretary of State for DEFRA.
Protect Kent:
Stop BIG campaign
Rail Freight
Interchange at Radlett Aerodrome
This development would comprise 5
huge warehouses, each served by a
railway siding such that goods can
be moved from railway freight
wagons into storage in the
warehouses and ultimately onto
HGVs. The developers, Helioslough,
have been working on this proposal
for 3 years and the estimated
total development cost is
approximately £400 million.
The site is entirely within the
Green Belt comprising over 300
acres of flat land that has been
used for gravel extraction. This
site is the last large piece of
Green Belt land between St Albans
and London.
The application was refused by the
Secretary of State, on appeal, but
his decision was overturned by the
High Court. The case was
referred back to the SoS for
further consideration. St
Albans Council made further
submissions to the SoS and now
have an opportunity to comment on
other parties' submissions.
CPRE
Herts response
STRIFE
campaign
St
Albans Council's page on the
application
Oxford
Green Belt Way
CPRE have published a guide to the
Oxford Green Belt Way which costs
£6.00 (£5 plus
£1 p&p).
view Oxford Way
information
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