Hemel Hempstead MP, Sir Mike Penning, managed to ‘catch the Speaker’s eye’ in Prime Minister’s Questions today to ask the PM about protection of the green belt.

Sir Mike called on the Prime Minister to ensure that where local councils have done an excellent job in finding suitable land for new house building, they should not then be asked to encroach on green belt land to build more.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak supported protection of the green belt confirming that the Government will always protect precious green spaces and that recent planning reforms will support this.

Speaking afterwards, Sir Mike said:

“I am pleased that the Prime Minister backed protection of the green belt. He is right, it is precious. People move to Hemel Hempstead because of access to green spaces and the proximity of the beautiful Chilterns. It is a fine balance, we desperately need new homes, but we cannot just keep building on green belt land.

“Dacorum Borough Council has done an excellent job in finding land to enable the building of new homes – residential areas have sprung up in Maylands and the town centre and many previously industrial sites such as Frogmore. It would be wrong to force councils who, like Dacorum have done a fantastic job in building new homes, to build on their valuable green belt land.”

Photo: Sir Mike Penning MP speaking in the House of Commons