Our Green Belt and Open Countryside are vital for:

• Environmental Protection because they preserve ecosystems, protect wildlife habitats and reduce flood risk.
• Fight Against Climate Change because they reduce emissions by limiting sprawling development.
• Agricultural and Local Food which reduce the carbon footprint by shortening supply chains as well as adding value to the local economy.
• Quality of Life because they protect the character of rural communities.
• Health and Recreation because they provide accessible green spaces for walking, cycling and leisure.

The Government has introduced a mandatory annual housing supply target for Councils in England, which is significantly higher than the previous advisory targets. As a consequence, it seems that at least 189 out of 317 Principal Local Authority Councils in England fail to have a five year housing land supply.

There are serious implications for Councils without a five year housing land supply as the balance in planning decisions is tilted in favour of developers.

Developers prefer to build on Green Belt and on Open Countryside rather than on brownfield sites because it is easier and cheaper.

Owing to its dire financial position, Cheshire East has advised that it only has the resources to assess brownfield sites, which are part of a planning application as they have already undergone detailed assessment and community consultation.

If Cheshire East Council searched out all suitable brownfield sites, Cheshire East Council could well increase its current 3.8 year housing land supply to five years and thereby prevent inappropriate and opportunistic development on Green Belt and Open Countryside.

However, to do this, Cheshire East requires central Government funding.

This petition is calling on the Government to ensure that our precious Green Belt and Open Countryside is protected from detrimental development for the benefit of our communities and future generations by:

• Provide the necessary funding to Primary Councils to enable them to search out all brownfield sites.
• Provide the necessary funding to enable appropriate brownfield sites, if necessary, to be compulsorily purchased to ensure that Councils achieve the crucial five year housing land supply. Strict controls would be needed to ensure that such compulsory purchases are independently scrutinised.
• Authorise Primary Councils to refuse developers permission to build on Green Belt or Open Countryside, if there are suitable brownfield sites available for development.

Please sign this petition to save our cherished Green Belt and Open Countryside.

Many thanks.

Councillor Robert Douglas