Chris Grayling MP has welcomed new government planning guidance which will provide greater protection to Epsom residents affected by back-land development.
The new guidance, issued last week, gives much greater discretion to local authorities to set out development plans for their area and to designate some areas as being inappropriate for new development.
The amendment has been welcomed by Mr Grayling, who has dealt with a large numbers of complaints about backland development plans over the past 10 years.
He said: "The new guidance will make a big difference to the way local councils work.
"They will now have much clearer powers to set a local plan for development, and to decide where development is appropriate and where it is not.
"I now hope our local councils will take a stronger line against backland development, and instead concentrate on putting houses in more appropriate locations locally - like redundant public sector land."
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