Housing, Planning and the Green Belt

The subject for this debate has been chosen by the Backbench Business Committee at the request of Mr Laurence Robertson MP.

Mr Robertson told the Committee that he wanted to raise the following issues:

Given that the Government have made housing one of their priorities – we hear a lot about the broken housing market and the housing crisis – there is a need for a debate to put this in perspective. I do not think that the crisis or problem is in every area across the country; it is more acute in certain areas than other. Also, we are taking our eye off the type of  housing needed. There are lots of three, four and five-bedroom houses being build, when perhaps what we need is two-bedroom houses, but planning guidance policy does not seem to allow for the right direction to be given.

His submission went on to highlight:

• potential issues with lending policy in relation to home-ownership
• the role and powers of the Planning Inspectorate
• policy and guidance around building on the Green Belt.

The full submission is on the Committee’s website.