Read the Government’s response!

Thank you for your e-petition.

The Government does not propose a change on green belt policy. The Government remains committed to preserving, enhancing and increasing the green belt. Nationally, it continues to grow. This does not mean, however, that green belt policies should be set in stone.  We agree with the Independent Panel for the Examination into the RSS that the importance of meeting the region’s housing need in the most sustainable locations provides the exceptional circumstances for making some alterations to the green belts in the region to allow for some strategic urban extensions.
 
The Government fully recognises the pressure on green belt land from development. Sufficient housing, however, to meet our needs has not been built for something like a generation. As a result, there is a fundamental mismatch between the supply of housing and the demand for housing. That is having an impact on affordability across the south-west region and has the effect of putting home ownership out of the reach of many and the Government needs to address that.

As the process of producing the South West RSS is bound by regulation and propriety guidance, which seeks to put all interested parties on an even footing, the Government is unable to discuss the merits of the Proposed Changes or the Panel’s report, or take any representations or comments on board at this stage.  These propriety matters apply in particular to any comments related to particular localities or development proposals.

The Secretary of State’s proposed changes were the subject of public consultation between July and September 2008. No new representations can be taken into account now, as to do so might be unfair to other respondents.
 
The Secretary of State planned to publish the RSS at the end of June 2009. However, on 20th May, the High Court issued a judgment that the previously issued Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England had failed to meet certain requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive, in respect of three towns.
 
The Department for Communities and Local Communities and the Government Office for the South West are considering the implications for the South West Regional Spatial Strategy, and an announcement is expected shortly.

The GOSW website (http://www.gosw.gov.uk/gosw/planninghome/691545/713860/?a=42496) is updated regularly and will have the latest information on the position.