National Trust attacks Labour’s green belt housing plan

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The National Trust said the Labour government’s definition of lower-quality “grey belt” areas that would be targeted for home building was too broad, and could harm “some of the most valuable ‘green’ land to local communities”. Labour wants to overhaul planning rules to accelerate home construction The trust said it could lead to “the potential for a patchwork of piecemeal development across green belt areas result in a cumulative impact that serves to undermine the green belt as a whole”. “If Labour really want homes to be built where they are needed, they must think again,” he said.He also accused ministers of gerrymandering by targeting the green belt, when Labour’s voters traditionally live in more urban areas. But Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities, said: “Green belt reform needs to go much further than the grey belt rules to enable housebuilding in commuter corridors around big cities.” Ministers say they want a “brownfield first approach” to planning and construction but cannot afford to ignore the housing crisis.