CAMPAIGNERS are urging developers to build on brownfield sites first as thousands of homes are set for Cheshire East’s greenbelt.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) says there are plans to build 4,747 homes on greenbelt land across the borough – although Cheshire East Council says that figure stands at 4,650.

But CPRE insists that there are enough brownfield sites for at least 2,532 homes to be built on first – and it wants those developments to be prioritised over new homes on greenbelt land.

Tom Fyans, director of campaigns and policy at CPRE, says greenbelt land is being ‘eroded at an alarming rate’ across the country.

“The Government is failing in its commitment to protect the greenbelt,” he said.

“It is essential, if the greenbelt is to fulfil its main purposes and provide 30 million of us with access to the benefits of the countryside, that the redevelopment of brownfield land is prioritised, and greenbelt protection strengthened.”

Three per cent of Cheshire East’s greenbelt was ‘rolled back’ by the council in its local plan, which was approved by inspectors last year.

Cllr Ainsley Arnold, cabinet member for housing, planning and regeneration, insists there are not enough brownfield sites to cope with the demand for housing.

“It is unfair to give the impression that the council is indifferent to the loss of greenbelt land for housing development,” he said.

“We want to protect the borough’s green open spaces and have a policy to promote brownfield sites wherever possible but the CPRE, who played an active part in the local plan strategy consultation process, is well aware that local authorities cannot compel developers to build on brown sites.

“The borough does not have the volume of brown sites or greenfield sites required to meet that demand. Therefore the council, through its local plan strategy, was faced with no option but to take some land out of greenbelt and this was approved by the government inspector and the secretary of state in approving the local plan.

“This leaves more than 98 per cent of the borough’s greenbelt unchanged and unaffected by any of the plans proposals.”

In its annual ‘State of the Greenbelt’ report, CPRE has found that almost 460,000 homes are set to be built on greenbelt land across the country – including 97,200 in the north west.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “We are clear that building the homes our country needs does not mean tearing up our countryside.

“Last year the number of new homes built was the highest in a decade, and only 0.02 per cent of the greenbelt was developed for residential use.

“We are adding more certainty to the planning system and our new planning rulebook strengthens national protections for the greenbelt, and says that councils may only alter boundaries in exceptional circumstances once they have looked at all other options.”

Labour councillors have been calling for CEC's local plan to be revised in light of recent Government figures which suggest population growth will not be as high as previously thought.

Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, announced last month that his region’s local plan – called the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework – would be delayed to take into account the lower population figures.

But following that announcement, CEC insisted it had no plans to change the local plan – which was adopted last year.

Cllr Nick Mannion, Labour CEC member for Macclesfield West and Ivy, said in July: “Under the Conservatives at CEC speculative property developers are laughing all the way to the bank – whilst local communities are left to struggle with overloaded infrastructure, higher air pollution levels and the loss of priceless green fields forever.”

Neighbouring Cheshire West and Chester Council has approved plans for a single 1,300-home development on greenbelt land in Chester, while CPRE says there is space for 7,774 homes to be built on brownfield land there.