To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to paragraphs 6.62 to 6.64 of her Department's Annual Report for 2008, Cm 7394, what steps she plans to take following the failure to meet the Government's target on the area of disputed green belt land in each region over the period 2003 to 2007. (207739)

Responsibility for creating and amending the area of green belt lies with regional planning bodies and local planning authorities. Proposals to make changes to green belt must be put forward in draft development plans, which are subject to public consultation and then to independent examination.

National policy on green belts is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 2, ‘Green Belt’. This makes clear that permanence is the essential characteristic of green belt and that their boundaries should be altered only exceptionally. If such alterations are proposed, the Secretary of State in her role as consultee on the draft development plan will wish to be satisfied that the authority has considered opportunities for development within the urban areas contained by and beyond the green belt.