England’s green belt at risk amid pressure to meet housing targets

Exclusive: Campaigners accuse ministers of making misleading promises about protecting green belt sites

Huge expanses of green belt land in England could be built on to meet government housing targets, it has emerged, with guidelines saying that councils lacking enough brownfield sites will be expected to offer untouched plots for construction.

The proposals, set out in consultation documents for the revised planning rules across England, prompted condemnation from campaigners, who accused ministers of making misleading promises about protecting the green belt.