Sevenoaks District is 93% Green Belt and I have always been clear that this needs to be taken into account when calculating our housing number. It is imperative that we build homes for local people, but we must also protect the Green Belt, and ensure new homes come with the right infrastructure for communities living here.
During the General Election campaign, Labour spoke about building on the “Grey Belt”. They painted a picture of disused garages, or old car parks within Green Belt land. They absolutely did not campaign on wrecking the Green Belt – which their recent announcements have made clear was their plan all along.
To recap, the housing target for our district over a 15 year period under the last Conservative Government was 10,560 (704 houses a year). However, changes to the “National Planning Policy Framework” (NPPF) which had been argued for by myself and other Conservative MP’s clarified this figure was advisory and that Green Belt land did not have to be considered in order to reach the housing target. This was a sensible decision, which balanced the need for more housing, along with taking into account natural constraints such as the 93% Green Belt land we have in this district.
Labour have now ripped up our target, and increased it to 1113 per year – a near 60% increase. This will raise our overall target from 10,560 to 16,695 over 15 years.
Currently, exceptional circumstances are required to build on the Green Belt. However, in a move to attempt to make this protection as good as meaningless, Labour are proposing that where a council cannot meet its mandatory target, that in itself becomes an exceptional circumstance to warrant building on the Green Belt. This is unacceptable.
At the same time as all this, they are also proposing for a number of metropolitan areas, such as Greater London, have their targets reduced.
The new NPPF consultation is open until 24 September, and despite our Local Plan being in progress, the proposals will require Sevenoaks District Council to plan using the new targets.
T/he Green Belt must be protected and we must not be completely blind to the local geographical circumstances communities – like Sevenoaks – finds ourselves in. I am already working hard with colleagues, local councillors, parish councils and other interested local groups, to fight these proposals every step of the way. I will be responding to the consultation and will keep you updated throughout the process.
