黑洞社区

Influential Conservative think tank Bright Blue has given its full support to Labour鈥檚 plans to build on poor quality areas of the green belt despite official opposition from Tory headquarters.

The centre-right organisation closely associated with David Cameron and the One Nation group of Tory MPs said Labour was 鈥渁bsolutely right鈥� to propose freeing up areas of the green belt which are derelict or have been previously developed.

It comes after the Conservatives criticised the proposals for 鈥渋gnoring the concerns鈥� of local people in a sign of a split in Tory circles over the issue.

Last week Labour set out five 鈥榞olden rules鈥� for councils including creating a new class of 鈥榞rey belt鈥� land to ensure 鈥減oor quality and ugly areas鈥� of the green belt could be built on.

Real estate firm Knight Frank has identified 11,000 grey belt sites and said they could be used to build up to 200,000 homes.

Supporters of Bright Blue, a flag bearer of a grouping of Tory MPs attempting to steer the party towards the centre ground, have included current housing secretary Michael Gove, who described it as a 鈥渟ource of radical and exciting ideas that have shaped government鈥�.

The think tank鈥檚 senior research fellow Bartek Staniszewski said: 鈥淯nless we build on the green belt, the housing crisis will never go away. 

鈥淚t is almost twice as big as the country鈥檚 total developed-on area, and often near the country鈥檚 most expensive and desirable towns. 

鈥淲hat is more, 4% of it is derelict, or has been built on in the past. This 鈥榞rey belt鈥� could provide the land for between one and two million homes 鈥� a long way to clearing our country鈥檚 enormous undersupply of housing 鈥� and new development there would actually improve biodiversity. 

>> See also: Starmer blasts Tory flip-flopping as he pledges 鈥榯o build a new Britain鈥�

鈥淟abour are absolutely right to be going ahead with this.鈥�

Conservative party chairman Richard Holden said last week in response to Labour鈥檚 proposals that 鈥渙nly Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives will respect local communities building the right homes in the right places鈥�.

Labour鈥檚 proposals would require councils to prioritise brownfield land and target at least 50% affordable housing delivery on any grey built land that is released.

Party leader Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner have ruled out building on 鈥済enuine nature spots鈥� and said plans must include improvements to existing green spaces.

They added plans must boost public services and local infrastructure, such as school and nursery places, new health centres and GP appointments.

The party previously pledged to build 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament and has said it will deliver 鈥渁 blitz of planning reform鈥� to help achieve this.

The planning reforms would involve working with local authorities to quickly draw up local plans that have stalled and recruiting hundreds of extra planners in a 鈥榮print鈥� to agree new plans.