Government to reform green belt

The UK government is implementing major planning reforms aimed at tackling the housing crisis and achieving net zero goals, including a proposal to designate a 'grey belt' for land contributing minimally to green belt purposes. Housing Secretary's reforms intend to expedite the delivery of 1.5 million homes while addressing climate and nature restoration objectives by linking planning decisions to the Climate Change Act. Meanwhile, in Ontario, a controversial development plan led by Caledon Mayor Annette Groves has received rezoning approval, potentially allowing for 35,000 homes on Greenbelt lands without comprehensive environmental assessments, raising concerns about infrastructure costs and ecological impacts. Critics argue that the plan, likened to the ongoing Greenbelt scandal under investigation, lacks adequate studies on its effects on local water and wastewater systems. The region has labeled the rezoning as 'premature' and insufficiently backed by necessary infrastructure analyses. These developments in both the UK and Canada reflect broader tensions between housing needs and environmental protection.