To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use brownfield sites for housing in England, rather than using green belt land. [HL2470]

The Government's planning for housing policy (planning policy statement 3) sets a target for 60 per cent of all new housing to be delivered on previously developed (brownfield) land. This policy has been a success, with the latest figures showing that in 2008, on a provisional estimate, 79 per cent of all new housing was delivered on such land. This compares to 56 per cent in 1997.

There is a general presumption against inappropriate development in the green belt (which includes brownfield sites within the green belt), as set out in PPG 2 (planning policy guidance note 2, Green Belts). Such development is, by definition, harmful to the green belt and should not be approved, except in very special circumstances. Very special circumstances will not exist unless the harm caused to the green belt is clearly outweighed by other considerations. The only new-build housing in green belt to be treated as not inappropriate would generally be limited to infill in existing villages or else affordable housing to meet local need if allowed for as an exception in development plan policies.

In 2008, only 2 per cent of all new dwellings in England were built in the green belt. Moreover, of those dwellings built in the green belt, the latest estimate (2007) showed that 77 per cent were built on brownfield land.