The countryside is under siege from housing developers exploiting the Government ’ s relaxed planning laws , campaigners have warned . The number of homes planned for the country ’ s green belt has increased 38 per cent in less than two years , according to a study by the Campaign to Protect Rural England ( CPRE ) . Nearly 220,000 houses are in the pipeline for green belt land – up 61,000 on CPRE ’ s last count in August 2013 – and the campaigners say the increase is a direct result of the Government ’ s National Planning Policy Framework , which aimed to speed up decisions and boost house building . The number of homes planned for the country ’ s green belt has increased 38 per cent in less than two years , according to a study by the Campaign to Protect Rural England . The framework , introduced three years ago , ordered planning boards to shift the ‘ presumption ’ of their decisions ‘ in favour ’ of development . The Coalition has repeatedly said that there were sufficient regulations in place to protect rural Britain from inappropriate developments . Just this month David Cameron said ‘ the green belt is protected ’ and that he viewed its continued preservation as ‘ paramount ’ . But the new figures lay bare the extent to which developers have been able to move on to prime rural sites , where they are often able to charge a premium for luxury homes . In its analysis of nine English regions , the CPRE paper shows that councillors and planning inspectors have signed off major releases of green belt over the past 19 months . The Metropolitan green belt which encircles London is particularly under pressure , with the number of houses planned rising from 32,500 to 87,000 since the summer of 2013 . Just over 12 per cent of England is designated as green belt land , a status introduced in the 1950s to protect the countryside around major towns and cities from urban sprawl . Campaigners say nearly 220,000 houses are in the pipeline for green belt land – up 61,000 on CPRE ’ s last count in August 2013 . They balme the increase is a direct result of the Government ’ s National Planning Policy Framework , which aimed to speed up decisions and boost house building . But a Daily Mail investigation revealed last year that speculators are so confident they can exploit new loopholes , they offer farmers ‘ no-win-no-fee ’ deals to get planning permission . The disdain with which some developers treat green belt land was revealed at the National Planning Summit in London this week . Mark Sitch , senior partner at planning consultancy Barton Willmore , told the conference that planning restrictions on rural land should be dismantled . He said : ‘ The new government has to have the ambition and in that first year tackle the green belt . The green belt is a constraint on economic growth of our cities. ’ Just over 12 per cent of England is designated as green belt land , a status introduced in the 1950s to protect the countryside around major towns and cities from urban sprawl . This Government and its predecessors have emphasised the need to build an estimated 200,000 new homes a year to battle the housing crisis . But campaigners say there is no need to concrete over the countryside to meet that aim . Experts estimate there is space for a million new homes on previously developed ‘ brownfield ’ sites , including disused industrial land and empty housing plots . Paul Miner , planning campaign manager at CPRE , said : ‘ We need to strengthen green belt protection , not weaken it . ‘ Our new research shows that large-scale development is already planned – despite existing protections , the availability of brownfield land and community objections. ’ Planning minister Brandon Lewis last night defended the Government ’ s record . He said : ‘ The green belt is 34,000 hectares larger than in 1997 , and green belt development is at its lowest rate since modern records began in 1989 . ‘ This Government has safeguarded national green belt protection and increased protection of important green spaces . ’
Campaigners warn homes planned on green belt land increased 38 precent . Campaign to Protect Rural England claims 61,000 more planned since 2013 . Government framework asks planners to look favourably on develpoment .