🌳 Green Belt: Basildon and Billericay

Commons Chamber

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In a heated parliamentary debate, MP Richard Holden fiercely opposed plans to build 27,000 homes on the green belt in Basildon and Billericay, arguing that it would lead to the irreversible destruction of cherished green spaces and the merging of local towns and villages into a continuous urban sprawl. Holden criticized the Labour government’s housing policies, claiming they unfairly burden the Home Counties with increased housing targets while reducing London’s, and accused them of neglecting to densify urban areas and redevelop brownfield sites instead. The Minister for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, defended the government’s “brownfield first” approach but acknowledged the need for some green belt development to meet housing demands, promising that new developments would be subject to strict rules ensuring affordable housing and improved infrastructure. The debate highlighted deep local opposition to the plans and raised concerns about the impact on local services like healthcare and education, which are already under strain.

Summary

  • Debate on Green Belt in Basildon and Billericay:
    • Richard Holden (MP for Basildon and Billericay) raised concerns about the local council’s plan to build 27,000 new homes, most of which would use green belt land.
    • Holden criticized the government for reducing housing targets in London while increasing them in surrounding areas like Basildon and Billericay.
  • Concerns Over Green Belt Development:
    • Holden argued that the proposed housing development would merge towns and villages into a continuous urban area, significantly impacting local communities.
    • He highlighted the opposition from local residents and the potential strain on local services like education, healthcare, police, and fire services.
  • Environmental and Infrastructure Issues:
    • The MP warned of increased pressure on remaining green spaces and the need for new infrastructure, potentially damaging more of the green belt.
    • He called for a focus on developing brownfield sites and increasing density in cities rather than building on green belt land.
  • Government Response:
    • Minister for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, emphasized the government’s “brownfield first” policy but acknowledged the necessity of using some green belt land due to limited brownfield availability.
    • The government aims to protect the green belt while meeting housing needs, proposing new rules for developments on green belt land to ensure provision of affordable housing and infrastructure.
  • Upcoming Changes:
    • Pennycook mentioned upcoming local government reforms, including devolution and the development of local plans to better manage housing growth.
    • He stressed the importance of having an up-to-date local plan to protect against speculative development, noting that Basildon’s current plan is outdated.
  • Local Opposition and Future Concerns:
    • There was significant local opposition to the plans, with fears that they would lead to irreversible damage to the green belt.
    • Concerns were also raised about the readiness of local infrastructure, particularly healthcare, to handle the increased population.

Divisiveness

The parliamentary session presents a high degree of disagreement, primarily centered around the proposed policies for housing development and land management. Members of Parliament from different political backgrounds presented conflicting views about housing targets, the use of green belt land, and the role of government regulations. For instance, Mr. Richard Holden expresses strong opposition to the proposed developments, highlighting detrimental effects on local communities and infrastructure. This contrasts with the Minister for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, who defends the reforms and stresses the necessity for achieving housing targets. These opposing viewpoints underline a substantive disagreement, demonstrating a broader division on the issue of green belt development and housing policy.