There's plenty of land for homes, but not allotments

BRITAIN needs 1.5 million new homes in the next four years, we're told - but (leaving aside who they're intended for) where are they to go?

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It's tempting at times to think there's a shortage of land, yet both the North East and the South West of England have less than 8% of land developed.

In our region, one has only to drive a few miles out of Derby or Nottingham to realise that “Britain's green and pleasant land” still exists in abundance.

Venture into the Derbyshire Dales and the Peak District, for instance, and you'll see vast areas of unspoilt land. Head out of Nottingham towards Newark and the same applies.

There are dozens of country houses in Nottinghamshire, with large estates that would be ideal for housebuilding. The Chatsworth estate alone has over 30,000 acres.

Sacrilege, you say? Of course.

But why is that the relatively poorer areas - extremely poor in comparison to those I mention - have to bear the brunt of development?