to ensure that they employ all the best controlling techniques they can, like the time of year that development takes place, that it s outside of the times when, for example, birds are nesting, etc. studies around providing compensatory habitat, there s a whole range of techniques that we can employ. but many locals remain unconvinced. this is notjust me and my area, this is everywhere. yeah, we do need houses, put them on brownfield sites, there are plenty of empty houses, leave our river alone. the green belt is an important flood plain and environment that allows nature and ourselves to thrive, but with pressure to meet housing targets, it s an uncertain future for places like this. the government refused to be interviewed but a ministry for housing spokesperson said. decisions to release green belt land are made by local councils, not central government.