Housing 'threatens to swamp countryside'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The countryside is in danger of being "swamped' by new housing while demand for homes in towns and cities is being ignored, a report claims today.
England loses 11,000 rural hectares a year and 20 per cent of the country will be urbanised by 2050 at this rate, the Council for the Protection of Rural England said.
The findings are in a CPRE leaflet published today to coincide with the Government's forthcoming White Paper on housing. "The pressure for new housing development on greenfield sites is enormous - unchecked, it would swamp large areas of rural England," said Neil Sinden, the CPRE's housing campaigner. Labour obtained a leaked copy of the White Paper last week and claimed Tory backbench demands for extra tax relief for homeowners had been rejected by the Government. The Opposition also said a big extension of home ownership was planned despite the stagnant housing market.
Mr Sinden called for the Government to adopt a three-point strategy on housing:
t Increase the number of affordable homes and reduce the amount of land earmarked for private developments;
t Encourage local authorities to plan strategies based on how much land is available, not statistical projections;
t Strengthen the policy of regenerating cities and toughen restrictions on rural building.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments