North West Hampshire MP speaks out on planning reforms

Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire, criticised the proposals, announced on December 16, arguing that they threaten to "concrete over our countryside" and impose unrealistic development pressure on rural areas without adequate infrastructure.

The new reforms are part of wider changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), focusing on boosting development near well-connected train and tram stations.

Kit Malthouse MP (Image: PA)

These reforms apply to green belt land and introduce minimum housing density standards, aiming to make better use of sustainable growth opportunities for homes, jobs, and businesses.

Mr Malthouse said: "The government may have rewritten their planning framework, but the outcome is the same: concrete over our countryside.

"They’re forcing higher, mandatory housing targets onto rural areas like ours, but where will the new schools, roads, doctors, and dentists come from to deal with the influx of people?

"They want local authorities to prioritise so-called ‘grey belt’ land.

"I’m not sure even they know what that means; it’s just a con to grab at our precious green belt."

Under the proposed reforms, councils would be required to inform the government when they are minded to decline applications of 150 homes or more, so Ministers can decide whether to call them in.

He said: "They want the housing secretary to overrule local communities on major developments of 150 homes or more.

"These decisions should be made locally, by the people who live in and know their communities."

While acknowledging the growing need for more homes, Mr Malthouse argued that development must be properly planned and supported by suitable infrastructure.

He said: "Yes, we need more homes.

"But they must be built in the right places, with the right infrastructure.

"There are already more than a million homes with planning permission that haven’t been built.

"The government should start there and then move on to brownfield land."