Green Belt Building...

Thousands of new homes are set to be built on the Green Belt in the biggest relaxation to planning protections for 30 years.

A new Government consultation proposes to change strict rules that only allow building on the ribbon of greenfield land around towns and cities which prevents urban sprawl in exceptional circumstances.

Instead councils will be allowed “to allocate appropriate small-scale sites in the Green Belt specifically for starter homes”, which are designed for young families, the Government said.

The changes, which were published quietly on Monday, are likely to be seized on by developers