Conservative leader William Hague says the Government is allowing "an enormous amount of countryside to go under concrete".

He says his party would seek to reduce the proportion of building on greenfield sites from half to a third, as outlined in its election manifesto.

Mr Hague is visiting the site of proposed greenbelt development between Stevenage and Hitchin in Hertfordshire, where permission has been given for the building of 10,000 new homes.

William Hague: "People are extremely worried"

He will be launching a "save our countryside" campaign and is expected to say: "We want people of all political persuasions, and none, to be involved".

He is not interested in taxing greenfield development to make it less attractive, though - an idea ministers are reportedly considering. "It may be another excuse for back door tax rises of the type the Government is becoming so skilled at, but it's not a solution.

"The solution is to have a coherent planning policy where the Government follows with decisions what they say they want to do."

Sir Norman Fowler: "We intend to carry on fighting"

Shadow environment secretary Sir Norman Fowler has pointed to another proposed industrial development on greenbelt land near Sutton Coldfield.

"On the greenbelt the Government says one thing and then does another.

"Here the Government has approved 150 acres of greenbelt land for industrial development. The development was fought by residents throughout and, at the public inquiry they won their case in front of the inspector.

"However, Mr Prescott overruled the inspector and gave permission for the development to go ahead. No greenbelt area is safe when Government ministers push through such arbitrary decisions."

Shadow Environment spokesman Tim Yeo visited a third development site in West Sussex.

"The county council has now been given leave to seek judicial review of the Government's decision to force another 12,800 new homes in West Sussex on top of those already scheduled, after the Government ignored an independent panel appointed by the Government.

"All three parties on the council are united on this issue. All three parties want the Government to change their mind. They should do so now."

The Government says 4.4 million new homes will be needed by 2016 to cope with demand from divorcees and to accommodate more single elderly people and John Prescott, the deputy PM, has said he plans a statement before Easter on planning policy.
 

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