Sir, While the government is making the right noises about developing houses on brownfield sites, its consultation on previously developed land — which closes today — is largely promoting sticking-plaster schemes that will have little lasting effect. National planning policy continues to favour cheap and profitable development on greenfield sites. To protect our precious countryside, as David Cameron desires, we need to have “brownfield first” enshrined as a key principle at the heart of national planning policy. Greenfield sites should not be released while suitable brownfield sites are available for development.
The government must also make it easier for councils to assemble sites and for public bodies to dispose of properties that could be re-used. It also needs to address the additional cost of developing brownfield sites.
Matt Thomson
Head of planning, Campaign to Protect Rural England