Thousands of new homes will be built on unused and previously-developed land under the government's plans to make it easier to build on brownfield sites suitable for housing.

Ministers are clear of the need to make the best possible use of brownfield land in a way that keeps strong safeguards in place that protect our valued countryside.

Councils will play a critical role in bringing forward brownfield land and will be asked to put in place local development orders which can provide sites with outline planning permission to speed up the building of new homes.

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This could provide up to 200,000 permissions for new homes by 2020. In addition, 20 new housing zones on this brownfield land in London will benefit from £400 million funding from the government and the Greater London Authority.

There will be £200 million of additional government funding available for 10 zones outside London.

Speaking at Mansion House, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said: "We have beautiful landscapes, and they too are part of the inheritance of the next generation. To preserve them, we must make other compromises. If we want to limit development on important green spaces, we have to remove all the obstacles that remain to development on brown field sites.

"Today we do that with these radical steps, putting local development orders on over 90% of brownfield sites that are suitable for housing. This urban planning revolution will mean that in effect development on these sites will be pre-approved - local authorities will be able to specify the type of housing. And it will mean planning permission for up to 200,000 new homes - while at the same time protecting our green spaces."

(CD/MH)