Prescott launches homes explosion

The Government today ordered homes to be built on the Green Belt in a massive project to overcome the housing shortage in and around London.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced the move with a promise that extra protected areas would be created to replace the lost open space.

But the plans were certain to anger residents and environmentalists who were already protesting against the Government's housebuilding proposals. Now an extra 200,000 homes will be built in the South-East, the new target being 1,130,000 in 15 years.

The additional properties are destined for Home Counties sites where there is derelict land.

But officials at Mr Prescott's department admitted that some of the new houses would have to be built on the Green Belt "where it makes sense ... this is the normal system under the normal rules."