New regulations could save gardens

The new government is keen to make changes to land classification regulations that could help stop the practice of garden grabbing.

This occurs when developers target green spaces classified as brownfield sites for building new homes, BBC News reported.

Such land is often cheaper to use than abandoned railway and industrial facilities as it involves less preparation work.

However, communities minister Greg Clark suggested that it could lead to a rise in population density and take away much-loved and needed pieces of green space.

Building on previously residential land, such as gardens, became more common under Labour, rising from one in ten homes in 2007 to one in four just 11 years later.

Despite this, former deputy prime minister John Prescott said the change in trend was necessary due to the need for new affordable housing.

He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that the new regulations were more about protecting the interest of the few who used the gardens than the many who needed somewhere to live.

In other news, the Royal Horticultural Society has reported that a Somerset garden attraction is allowing visitors to dictate which areas are renovated next.