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<p>This Government has revoked the previous administration’s top-down undemocratic
Regional Strategies. It is for local councils in conjunction with their communities
to determine what development is appropriate and where in bringing forward their Local
Plans. Legislation specifically requires that councils consult Natural England in
doing so.</p><p> </p><p>Through its planning policy this Government has maintained
strong protections against inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and made absolutely
clear that councils can only amend their Green Belt boundaries in exceptional circumstances,
through the Local Plan.</p><p> </p><p>My Department has recently published new planning
guidance reaffirming how councils should use their Local Plan drawing on protections
in the National Planning Policy Framework, to safeguard their local area against urban
sprawl. We have also made clear that the single issue of unmet demand is unlikely
to outweigh harm to the Green Belt and other harm necessary to grant permission for
inappropriate development. Unlike the Labour’s discredited Regional Strategies, we
have been very clear that there are no central diktats demanding that councils rip
up the Green Belt.</p>
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