Is it right that more and more greenbelt land in the UK is being built upon for new houses?

The housing situation in Britain is lamentable. And one solution is to rethink what we need from greenbelt land. It tends to be found in areas where wealthy people live and protect the land from further development. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of homes are needed and arbitrary protection of land is one of the factors fuelling high house prices, which are 40% more than in the Netherlands. And look at the data: just building in a half-mile strip around the London greenbelt would result in constructing 800,000 homes which are badly needed in the capital, especially when new developments are snapped up by overseas buyers as investments. Greenbelts form protective zones for wealthy people, while forcing the less well-off to make longer journeys around them - hence communters travlling to London from Norfolks. The intent of the greenbelt was good. As it stands, it helps perpetuate inequalities in Britain at a time more cheap housing is desperately needed.