Ban on building in Rotherham's green belt is expected to be lifted

A ban on building in Rotherham's green belt is expected to be lifted tomorrow.
Planners introduced the restriction two years ago after claims developers were targeting greenfield sites instead of former industrial land

While some greenfield sites were allocated for housing in Rotherham's latest Unitary Development Plan they were sidelined until the town's brownfield sites are used up.

But the move sparked protests from some builders who said it fell foul of government rules on housebuilding which said green belt land for sale may have to be used to meet the country's housing needs.

One builder, Ben Bailey Homes, claimed at the time the council would be unable to meet Rotherham's own housing needs without some green belt development.

The moratorium was backed by the Campaign to Protect Rural England which is alarmed at the erosion of the green belt across the UK Land.

But tomorrow planners will ask for the ban to be lifted because they say the situation has "changed significantly".

Prime MInister Gordon Brown has set up the Homes and Community Agency with the target of building three million new homes in the UK, with outgoing Sheffield Council chief executive Sir Bob Kerslake appointed to lead the new agency.

In a report to councillors, planning officer Nick Ward says: "The moratorium was introduced to contribute to meeting Rotherham's brownfield target and promote urban renaissance, regeneration and housing renewal.

"Since the introduction of the moratorium several of the factors that informed the decision have changed, in particular there has been new government guidance which places greater emphasis on overall delivery of higher numbers of homes."

Rotherham's housing target have gone up from 4,000 to 5,800 homes by 2013 but the council says it cannot meet the target without using greenfield land.

Source: www.thestar.co.uk