Topic: UKLI Land
The Government's own environmental advisers today raised the possibility of building new homes on green belt land.
The Government is planning to build around three million new homes by 2020, of which two million may have to be built on new land.
England's 14 green belts cover 13% of the country - 1.65 million hectares.
It is an area bigger than all of England's national parks combined, but Natural England says it is often neglected or of poor environmental quality.
Sir Martin Doughty, Natural England's Chair, said: "The time has come for a greener green belt.
"We need a 21st century solution to England's housing needs which puts in place a network of green wedges, gaps and corridors, linking the natural environment and people."