Rayner to rule on landmark green belt appeal

The fate of a controversial plan for 800 homes on green belt land near a Shropshire village will be decided by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner in a case campaigners say could test Labour's planning reforms.

A 12-day appeal is underway into whether Boningale Homes should be allowed to build the estate south of Albrighton after Shropshire Council rejected the application.

Instead of being determined by the planning inspector overseeing the appeal, the government told the council on Wednesday that Rayner would make the final decision.

A letter sent on her behalf said the appeal raised "important or novel issues" and involved "significant development in the green belt".

The case centres on land off Patshull Road, which Boningale Homes argues should be considered "grey belt" rather than green belt.

Under planning reforms introduced by Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government, some lower-quality or underused green belt sites could be released for development to help boost housebuilding.

The government is aiming to build 1.5 million homes in England by the next election, although ministers have acknowledged the target will be difficult to achieve.

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Rayner said there was only a "slim chance" of meeting it by 2029.