Our green belt land is being turned brick red, say campaigners

Plans to build homes on rural sites are cropping up almost every week, ranging from huge housing estates to just a handful of properties.

And developers argue that they are merely trying to meet demand, with the Government estimating that 250,000 homes need to be built each year.

Campaigners say this is an excuse, though - and they insist there are plenty of previously-developed brownfield sites that could be used instead.

The number of new homes being approved on green belt land in England has increased five-fold in the last five years.

In 2009-10 planning permission was granted for 2,258 homes, while in 2014-15 the figure rose to 11,977.

Essington councillor David Clifft has been involved in the fight against a string of planning applications in South Staffordshire - including the latest in Great Wyrley, where KGL Holdings want to build 136 homes on land off Landywood Lane.

And he believes councils are being put under pressure by the Government to allow green belt land to be developed.

Housing and Planning Minister Brandon Lewis has repeatedly insisted it was up to local authorities to decide the future of their green belt.

But Councillor Clifft argues that councils are becoming to resigned to the fact that, even if they refuse planning permission, Government bosses will probably overturn their decision anyway.

If proposals are turned down at a local level, developers can submit an appeal to the national Planning Inspectorate.

He said: "The Government is putting more pressure on councils to release land, and I can see the laws changing eventually if councils keep digging their heels in.

"The Government will probably get involved in the end and demand that land is released for development.

"It is such a difficult issue but many of these sites are precious land, but then we have got a housing shortfall that we need to address.

"Green belt land is being targeted because it is much cheaper to develop as it is uncontaminated. There are plenty of vacant industrial sites but they don't want to spend money clearing them up.

"This whole issue isn't going away and I think it is only going to get worse."

Villagers in Great Wyrley thought they had seen the last of plans for more than 130 homes on green belt land.

But now they are braced for another battled after fresh proposals emerged.

It comes less than two years after 4,000 residents signed a petition opposing the development in the south Staffordshire village.

KGL Holdings want to build 136 homes on land off Landywood Lane.

The plans also include 90 park and ride spaces for Landywood station, 17 allotments and 23 acres of public park.

The developers say the plans include 22 affordable houses and the money from 80 of the properties would be used to renovate and save four listed buildings in Penkridge.

But residents have reacted furiously to the project and say they are determined to defeat it.

They have raised concerns about the site merging neighbouring villages, additional traffic, limited school spaces and the impact on wildlife.

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition in the last week and campaigners have made SOS – Save Our Space – signs and banners.

South Staffordshire MP has joined the fight and says Ken Lees, who runs KGL Holdings, should 'get the message' that villagers do not want the development.

He said: "We do not want these properties on our green belt. From what I've seen they are a gross intrusion into the village and take away the individual identities of Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay as this development would join them together."

Among the urban sprawl of Halesowen, the Coombs Wood Wedge has been a cherished green space for decades.

But in recent years residents have unsuccessfully fought plans for a new sports club at the site.

And now they fear housing firm St Modwen want to build homes there. No formal planning application has been made yet and St Modwen has remained tight-lipped.

But earlier this year councillors said they understood 80 homes are earmarked for the site.

Mick Freer, of the Halesowen Abbey Trust, has written to St Modwen warning homes would ruin the wedge for recreational use.

Between 1987 and 1997 the trust made major improvements to the land which had previously been used as a tip.

But they were defeated - and now some of the properties on the Wychbury Fields development in Hagley are already being snapped up.

Villagers feared the homes, built on the Hagley Hall estate off the A456, would put pressure on vital services.

But Bromsgrove District Council rejected their concerns and gave the go-ahead.

Plans to transform the site into a hotel and conference centre have met with anger from residents who fear the local area will become overrun with traffic.

They say the development would tear through the countryside and destroy the heritage of a well-known building.

It will cost BCG Lakes, the owners of the listed hall, off Queslett Road, an estimated £20 million to transform the site.

And protesters say the plans for the green belt site would undermine the look and character of the town's flagship park.

Developer CT Planning Limited has submitted an application to the borough's planners for the houses, which would have at least four bedrooms, to be built on grazing land at neighbouring Calderfield Farm.

Walsall Friends of the Earth co-ordinator Beth Porter said other sites should be looked at first.

She said: "There are plenty of brownfield sites crying out for new housing in the borough. Our countryside is precious and should be protected."

The development in Pattingham was eventually given the go-ahead and work began in March last year.

But in the run-up to the decision, Councillor Joan Burton said she had been repeatedly targeted by people wanting to have their say on the scheme.

Councillors voted to give the scheme the go-ahead but some residents said they felt 'hoodwinked' and 'betrayed' over the plans for Hall End Lane being pushed through.

At the time Councillor Burton said the project was necessary.