Sunday 27 November 2022 01:53 PM Tory housing rebel claims affluent areas 'under siege' from homes that ruin ... trends now
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Affluent Tory constituencies are 'under siege' from 'high-rise, high-density' housing developments, a leading backbencher claimed today as she defended trying to scupper planning reforms that would make it easier to build homes.
Former minister Theresa Villers is at the head of a Conservative revolt that forced ministers to tear up plans for a Commons vote this week amid fears it could be lost.
She sparked a major Tory row with an amendment to the flagship Levelling Up Bill that would ban councils from taking housebuilding targets into account when deciding on planning applications.
More than 40 MPs supported it, with ministers postponing the vote and promising to have further talks with would-be rebels.
The amendment was one of several proposed by the former environment and Northern Ireland secretary that would make it easier for councils to ban building on greenfield land and provide more incentives to develop brownfield sites.
But they sparked a furious internal row, with other Tories saying that any move that could cut housebuilding could see the party hemorrhage support among younger voters. Rishi Sunak wants to build at least 300,000 homes a year.
Ms Villiers, who represents Chipping Barnet on the north west edge of London, told Sky today that she and rebels had been talking to
