Propertymark has welcomed the UK government’s latest report on Green Belt statistics.

Figures from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities found that overall, there was an increase of 860 hectares (0.1%) in the area of land designated as Green Belt between March 2022 and March 2023.

Furthermore, in 2022-23, ten local authorities adopted new plans involving changes to their Green Belts, with the result being a net increase of 870 hectares in the overall area of land designated as Green Belt compared to 31 March 2022.

Nathan Emerson, CEO at Propertymark said: “These statistics from the UK government shows that the number of Green Belt spaces has not increased dramatically. Propertymark’s position on this issue is that the Green Belt does not need to be reviewed or altered in the vast majority of circumstances.

“However, we would argue that, in order for the UK government to meet its targets of 300,000 new homes a year and for local authorities to meet their local plans, there may be instances where altering Green Belt is necessary.

“There should be guidance that lists clear instances where Green Belt should be altered, for example where it can be shown that housing targets cannot be met without altering Green Belt. Therefore, it should be made clear this must be a last resort.”

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Propertymark Conference set to hit Kent in early November

Propertymark are now firmly into their schedule of delivering regional conferences across the entire UK. Members have had the chance to attend a venue of their choice for free as part of the ‘Make it free for 23’ incentive where members have received £100 in credit to attend any national or regional conference during the year.

The next event will be held at the Canterbury Cathedral Lodge in Kent on 9 November 2023, and will feature a range of speakers covering topics such as legislation, auctioneering, legal, sales, lettings, and property related qualifications.

The conference will enable members and non-members to immerse themselves in different educational experiences, whilst discovering more about legislative changes across the entire property industry.

Jason Lee, commercial manager at Propertymark, commented: “We have been travelling the entire UK throughout the year and every conference has been positively received by delegates. Due to demand, we have doubled the number of regional conferences this year and it has been fantastic to see such an avid turn out.”

The next conference to be held will include the opportunity to learn more on generating new leads with Amanda O’Brien leading this session. Agents can learn cutting edge strategies to consistently drive new levels of engagement while navigating ever challenging market conditions.

Other speakers featuring at the next conference will include Timothy Bannister, Directory of Property Science Innovation at Rightmove, who will speak about data, technology and analytics. Stuart-Collar Brown, who will delve into the world of auctions, and Timothy Douglas, who will provide a legislative and policy update too.

NAEA President, Michael Holden, and ARLA President, Greg Tsuman, will also be joining the list of speakers to talk over the market from their perspective viewpoints.