'Green Belt necessary... but brownfield sites come first'

Residents urged to identify land not already marked for development in local plan

- Phil Corrigan Local Democracy Reporter

A COUNCIL leader has invited residents to suggest brownfield sites for development - but insists that greenfield land will still be needed for new homes.

Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, was challenged over the authority's approach to development at a meeting of the full council.

The Labour-run city council recently consulted on its draft local plan, which controversially includes proposals to earmark Green Belt sites for more than 10,000 homes.

Potteries Party councillor David Mountford asked the council leader to ‘assure residents that every viable brownfield site in the city will be fully assessed’ before any community is asked to take more housing.