House building and property development, both residential and commercial, inevitably provoke strong reactions particularly when the prospect of building on green belt land is raised. But is this merely an example of a 'not in my backyard' mentality - or a fundamental planning issue which has serious implications for the British landscape?

What is certain is that it's essential to provide the houses that people need, and that the green belt issue should be considered objectively if a viable solution is to be found. Whilst it may seem that new developments are continually springing up on the outskirts of towns and villages, the reality is that construction is at its lowest level since the 1920s. Furthermore, national planning policy over the last 30 years has delivered incrementally less land for homes than needed; a problem which is compounding annually.

The history of the green belt
The designation of land as greenbelt goes back to pre-war Britain when the Metropolitan green belt around London was first proposed. This was followed some years later by the Town and Country Planning Act of 1947 which allowed local authorities to include green belt proposals in their development plans.