Labour would build on green belt to boost housing, says Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer has said Labour would give English councils more powers to build on green belt land to boost housing.

The Labour leader told the BBC he was prepared to take "tough decisions" and "back the builders, not the blockers".

However, he said construction would only take place where it does not "affect the beauty of our countryside".

He also pledged to restore local housing targets, which are being watered down after calls from Tory MPs.

In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Sir Keir gave an example of homes being built on a playing field rather than a car park because the car park was technically within the green belt.

"We would make those tough choices and say to local areas, notwithstanding that it's greenbelt, if it's a car park or similar land which doesn't affect the beauty of our countryside… then we'll change the planning rules, we'll give you the powers to do that," he said.

Under current planning rules in England, new buildings can only be constructed on green belt land in exceptional circumstances.

CPRE, the countryside charity, said "small scale developments of genuinely affordable homes" were needed by rural communities.

However, the charity's director of campaigns and policy Tom Fyans said brownfield should be used first, adding that "targeting the countryside for a building bonanza of executive homes most people can't afford would be wrong, counterproductive and deeply unpopular".

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In a speech to the British Chambers of Commerce, Sir Keir argued the current planning system and blocks to building were holding back growth and leaving the economy "stuck in second gear".

"A generation and its hopes, an entire future - blocked by those, who more often than not, enjoy the secure homes and jobs that they're denying to others," Sir Keir said.

"The evidence could not be clearer, there are 38 countries in the OECD, and we are the second worst when it comes to the effectiveness of our planning system."

Sir Keir said Labour would take a "new approach to governing" driven by five clear missions, including the highest sustained growth in the G7.

Taking questions after the speech, the Labour leader accused the government of killing the dream of home ownership by watering down local housing targets.

The 2019 Conservative manifesto promised to build 300,000 homes a year in England by the mid-2020s.

But in December, the government said councils would get more flexibility over meeting centrally-set housing need targets.

Recently, Housing Secretary Michael Gove said that the UK's housing model was broken and more homes were "desperately" needed.

In the foreword to a collection of essays on housing published by the Conservative think tank Bright Blue and the housing charity Shelter, he said the need for change was "undeniable" and the government was "determined to build the new homes our country so urgently needs".

"That the current housing model - from supply to standards and the mortgage market - is broken, we can all agree," he said.

Conservative MPs critical of the government's targets had argued they undermined powers of local councils to decide where building takes place.

But others have raised concerns the changes will lead to fewer homes being built.

Some Labour MPs have also opposed developments in their own areas.