In a long-awaited report published today, an influential committee of MPs criticises the government's proposed changes to planning policy for housing as likely to encourage development on green fields and undermine urban renewal.

The report is the old Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Select Committee's Report on Affordability and the Supply of Housing. The ODPM is now renamed the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Henry Oliver, head of planning for the Campaign to Protect Rural England said: "The committee's report highlights the need to make sure councils have sufficient powers to stop developers cherry-picking greenfield sites while undermining the regeneration of our towns and cities."

"In recommending changes to proposed planning policies, the report directly echoes CPRE's concerns about their effect on urban renewal and greenfield sprawl. Whether or not the government retains the ‘sequential’ brownfield-first approach to planning for housing in the final policy will be a key test of whether it's serious about the environment or just paying lip service."

"In addition, in a blow to the approach advocated by Kate Barker and adopted by the government, the committee dismisses the idea that a simplistic supply and demand model can be applied to the housing market."

"We share the committee's and the government's concern about the shortage of affordable housing, and we're pleased that the committee accepts that simply building more houses for sale is unlikely to make a serious dent in affordability."

The CPRE wants the government to examine a range of strategies other than building more houses, that might address the issue of affordability.

However, the committee did not fully address CPRE’s concerns, and according to the CPRE response, had failed to address the scale of development proposed in the wider South East and preferring instead to mitigate environmental damage.

The CPRE also questions the government’s housing targets and was miffed that the committee did not question the government’s analysis of housing need.