Greenbelt Building Plots

Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats discovered on 29th January 2004 that a Developer was marketing plots of land in Banstead Road, East Ewell, on the Internet. They were advertised as suitable for house building, despite the fact that the site lies in the metropolitan Green Belt.

The Lib-Dems first alerted the Council and then local residents, who were concerned to find hedges being removed and roads and building plots being marked out.

Councillor Colin Taylor said "The Developer warns buyers that this is Greenbelt land and that the site does not have Planning Permission. There is nothing illegal about it. However this would change if anyone started building without Planning Consent."

The Lib-Dems have discovered that this is just the tip of an iceberg. Scores of similar sites are being advertised on the Internet all over the South East of England. Buyers are invited to purchase on the basis that the current housing shortage may persuade the planning authorities to relax the current rules that protect Greenbelt sites from development.

In addition to the concerns of nearby householders, three things worry local Lib-Dems:

1. People may hope to build a new home, then find that getting Planning Permission is more than just a formality.

2. Those buying plots hoping to make a quick profit, may pressurise the planning authorities to change their Greenbelt status.

3. If in the future such sites are zoned for housing, being already sub-divided into small plots they will add to "urban sprawl" instead of helping to solve the housing shortage.