In a long-awaited report [1], published today (Monday), the Labour-dominated Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), calls on the Government to revise housebuilding targets in light of the economic downturn, or risk unleashing a swathe of greenfield development.

Responding to the report, Kate Gordon, CPRE’s [2] senior planner, said:

‘The Environmental Audit Committee’s excellent report hits the nail on the head. We wholeheartedly endorse its recommendations, and share the deep concerns of the Committee’s members.

‘The Government has a good record on building on brownfield land but the pressure for greenfield development will intensify in an economic downturn. Inflexible Government targets and planning rules are forcing local councils across the country to needlessly allocate greenfield land for housing. [3] Without a policy change local authorities will have no choice but to grant permission for greenfield development.

‘In a period of economic decline developers will inevitably “cherry pick” green fields over less profitable brownfield locations.

‘It is vital that, in the current market downturn, targets are revised to ensure that we recycle brownfield land and bring back into use empty buildings before building on green fields, just as the EAC has recommended. We urge the Government to heed the Committee’s advice and act on their recommendations.’ [4]

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The report, Greener homes for the future? An environmental analysis of the Government’s housebuilding plans, warns that greenfield sites could be developed unnecessarily unless the Government revises its housebuilding targets in the current economic downturn. The report says that the Government has favoured building more homes over minimising their carbon impact, and suggests that current economic conditions provide an opportunity for revising the Government’s target to build 3 million new homes by 2020. Further information about the report can be obtained from the Committee’s press officer, Laura Kibby, on 020 7219 0718.

2. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen.

3. CPRE analysis of provision for housing in regional plans shows that over 2,250 hectares of greenfield land – including areas of land currently designated as Green Belt – is set to be developed for housing every year. By 2020 this would mean the loss of 27,182ha, an area equivalent to over 36,000 football pitches or the size of the City of Birmingham. Copies of Planned Use of Greenfield Land containing an analysis of planned housing development on greenfield land broken down by region is available on request from the press office on 020 7981 2880 or downloadable from CPRE’s media centre: www.cpre.org.uk/news/media-centre.

4. The EAC’s key recommendations:

• The Government should urgently review the basis of its target for building 3 million new homes by 2020.
• A clear sequential test favouring brownfield sites for development over greenfield sites should be reintroduced into planning policy.
• Targets to make all new homes zero carbon by 2016 should be used to speed up the development of community renewable energy sources for local neighbourhoods.
• Government should look urgently at introducing feed-in tariffs as a way of making zero carbon homes more financially attractive to developers.
• Eco-town proposals should be re-examined to ensure they have good public transport links, and are located close to commercial centres and employment opportunities, so that they do not lead to large rises in road journeys.
• All major housing building developments from 2016 should have to meet the same environmental tests as eco-towns.
• The Government should investigate the potential for the redevelopment of vacant building to create up to 1.2 million new homes.
• Despite the current market downturn, the Government should ensure that minimum standards for public transport and green infrastructure apply to all new developments.
• More aspects of the Code for Sustainable Homes – not just energy efficiency – should become mandatory for builders from 2010.
• The Government should suspend the implementation of its regional spatial strategies until it has carried out and published an environmental appraisal of its house-building targets.