CPRE highlights problems of Midlands sprawl

The west Midlands could see a significant increase in the pace of greenfield development over the next few years, putting large portions of its countryside in jeopardy, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has advised.

Around 3,500 extra homes a year are currently planned for the area by 2027, but the CPRE fears that this could rise to 5,000 and remove three square miles of land from the green belt area.

Areas such as Warwick, Nuneaton and Solihull will be those most significantly affected by the plans, the organisation has said.

"[The government says] it wants brownfield sites used first and have recently reaffirmed support for the green belt," commented CPRE West Midlands vice chairman Peter Langley.

"But if the hike in housing numbers is pushed through, these objectives will be fatally undermined, giving way to another wave of urban sprawl, outward migration and long-distance commuting, the very last thing the west Midlands needs," Mr Langley added.

Gordon Brown's plans for new homes include a strong environmental slant that includes a policy of introducing more zero-carbon homes into the UK.

PlotSearch only lists plots that you can build on - no greenbelt or agricultural land.

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