Greg Smith MP takes stand to protect Buckinghamshire countryside from overdevelopment
Mid Buckinghamshire MP Champions Amendments to Protect Rural Communities and Agricultural Land
Mid Buckinghamshire MP, Greg Smith, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to protecting the region’s countryside, farmland, and rural way of life, as unsustainable development pressures continue to mount.
Speaking ahead of the Report Stage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill in the House of Commons next week, Greg Smith announced two key amendments aimed at safeguarding rural communities from the growing threat of overdevelopment.
“For too long, Mid Buckinghamshire has been under siege from large-scale housebuilders, energy companies, and destructive infrastructure projects like HS2,” said Greg Smith. “Now, proposals from Labour and the Liberal Democrats to impose national housebuilding targets of 1.3 million and 1.9 million homes respectively could lead to the concreting over of our beautiful county.”
To counter these threats, Greg Smith has tabled two critical amendments to the Bill:
- A Ban on Ground-Mounted Solar Installations on Agricultural Land – To preserve valuable farmland and ensure food security, the amendment seeks to prohibit the development of solar farms on all grades of agricultural land.
- Fair Treatment for Communities Impacted by Major Infrastructure Projects – The second amendment aims to ensure that areas like Mid Buckinghamshire, which have borne the brunt of national infrastructure schemes such as HS2 and East West Rail, are given due consideration in future planning decisions. It would allow planning authorities to take past infrastructure burdens into account when assessing new development proposals.
“These changes are vital to ensure that rural areas are not disproportionately targeted for further development,” Greg Smith continued. “I will not give up the fight to defend our countryside and ensure that our planning system works for the people who live here, not just for developers or Whitehall.”
The amendments will be debated as part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill’s progress through Parliament.