The Government was defeated in the House of Lords last week, as Conservatives pushed through a new law to stop the spread of 'garden grabbing'. An official Conservative amendment to the Planning Bill was won by 135 votes to 128. The law will now strengthen the powers of local councils to protect urban green space and gardens, and restricts the power of the Government to interfere in councils which want to protect the character of their neighbourhoods.
- Ongoing Conservative campaign: The move is part of the ongoing Conservative campaign to protect England's gardens and suburban neighbourhoods from being covered in concreted and over-developed. Shadow Cabinet Ministers, Caroline Spelman and Greg Clark, have both previously tabled Private Members Bills on this issue - on which last night's amendment was based.
- Prescott's planning rules harm gardens: Under planning rules introduced by John Prescott in 2000, gardens around homes are no longer classed as 'green space'. Councils must follow rigid Whitehall guidelines demanding that new developments cram in as many buildings as possible. As a result, suburban gardens are being ripped up and the plots replaced with blocks of flats without sufficient parking spaces, and damaging the biodiversity and sustainability of the local environment.
- Glut of flats in market: The planning rules have made it more expensive to buy a family home, and created an over-supply of flats which increasingly lie unwanted and unsold. House prices are falling the fastest for flats, due to the glut in the market created by Prescott's planning rules.
Eric Pickles MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government said:
"Across the country, there is growing concern about how Labour's planning rules are leading to leafy gardens being dug up and replaced with soulless and ugly blocks of flats. Local people are powerless to protect the character of their neighbourhood, and communities are suffering from the extra burden being placed on local infrastructure. Conservatives will help local people protect the character of their neighbourhoods."
Earl Cathcart, Shadow Minister for Communities & Local Government in the Lords, said:
"Until now, Labour's rules have given a green light for garden grabbing and rich pickings for developers. This new Conservative law will increase protection for gardens and small urban green spaces, and leave local communities to decide what's best for their neighbourhood."
Harriett Baldwin, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate in West Worcestershire said, "I am delighted that this campaign has succeeded. Classifying back gardens as brownfield sites gave developers an incentive to grab gardens. I support giving our local councillors the final say on a case by case basis."