New planning laws threaten green belt. Ministers go to war with green charities over planning shake-up 'smears' But both organisations were heavily criticised by Bob Neill, the Local Government Minister.
He accused them of being "vested interests" that were peddling "deeply misleading and simply untrue" claims. He insisted that Green Belt land, as well as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and National Parks would continue to be fully protected. "This is a carefully choreographed smear campaign by Left-wingers based within the national headquarters of pressure groups," he said.