North Wiltshire MP James Gray has welcomed the most radical shakeup of the planning system in a generation.
Speaking in the House of Commons following a statement by the Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark, Mr Gray said: "I very much welcome the thrust of the Minister’s statement and the changes that he has made to the consultation paper.
"In particular, I welcome the fact that he has protected greenfield sites designated as green belt, sites of special scientific interest or areas of outstanding natural beauty, of which we have some in Wiltshire."
Mr Gray also expressed concern about land which has no designation at all, and asked about its protection: "Is the Minister not concerned about the 60 per cent of green land in England that has no designation?
"What will he do under the framework to ensure that those areas have protection equal or similar to that of the green belt?"
In reply, Greg Clark said the revised framework ensured that protection: "The revised framework includes a recognition of the intrinsic value of the countryside, reflecting its beauty, whether or not it is designated nationally, so it will have that protection."
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