Andrew Mitchell MP has welcomed today’s announcement that the Government will now introduce legislation to help councils and local communities prevent unwanted development and ‘garden grabbing’. Andrew Mitchell MP said, “This announcement is great news for Sutton Coldfield where Labour’s dreadful planning laws have allowed developers to build on gardens, robbing our town of green breathing space and increasing population density. “The new powers will dramatically transform the council’s ability to prevent unwanted development on gardens where local people object and we will be better placed to protect the character of our historic town.” Over the last decade, many councils have been left frustrated at being unable to prevent a dramatic increase in the number of new houses being built on people\'s back gardens - up from one in ten to one in four between 1997 and 2008. Today’s announcement by Decentralisation Minister, Greg Clark, will see gardens removed from the Brownfield category, under which derelict factories and disused railway sidings are classified, which means councils and communities will no longer have their decisions constantly overruled, but will have the power to work with industry to shape future development that is appropriate for their area. For more information visit the DCLG website at http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsstories/newsroom/1610351