PROTECTION OF GREEN BELT LAND FROM SPECULATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Early day motion 827, tabled 5 March 2003 by Richard Ottaway (Conservative). Signed by 7 members.

That this House is concerned about the actions of Property Spy Ltd, who have acquired prime green belt land at Kenley Pastures in Croydon, and elsewhere, and is dividing these properties into small plots and marketing them for the speculative sale in the hope of future residential development; fears that these plots will become unsightly and degraded in the cynical hope that this will make the grant of planning permission more likely; believes that the green belt should be protected and maintained; urges local councils to consider all options available to them, including the compulsory purchase of the land; and calls on the Government to review how legislation can prevent this type of activity taking place and to warn potential speculators that green belt land will not be developed, making their investment fruitless.

Signatures by party: Labour 4, Conservative 2, Liberal Democrat 1.