''Garden grabbing'' needs to be curtailed

The destruction of Britain''s green spaces needs to be stopped because green space equivalent to 2,755 Wembley football pitches will be wiped out by 2016 if "garden grabbing" is not halted, according to experts.

"Garden grabbing" is the practice of property developers who buy large detached houses and then demolish them so they can build lots of small houses on the land. But this means that gardens are disappearing and being transformed into urban areas.

MPs argue that this loss means a devastating effect will be had on children''s health, the environment and overall quality of life for everyone in local areas.

Dr Susan Kay-Williams, chief executive at Garden Organic campaigning group, said: "Removing gardens from the definition of brownfield sites would protect our green spaces from future development, giving our children gardens to play in rather than living amongst concrete jungles and building sites."

She added that local authorities should have the power to stop property developers because at the moment any grabbing which they turn down can still be approved by the Planning Inspectorate.


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