The Welsh government has refused to rule out a proposal that could see agricultural land taken away from farmers for a fraction of its real value.
The Secretary for Rural Affairs Secretary, Lesley Griffiths, was pressed by South Wales West AM Suzy Davies to rule out the plans that the Cabinet Secretary had failed to deny in response to Mrs Davies’s written question in March.
Mrs Davies called on the Cabinet Secretary to rule out adopting a Welsh version of Jeremy Corbyn’s proposed English Sovereign Land Trust.
The proposal would see powers given to government to compulsory purchase agricultural land for housing at a reduced rate.
The CLA, a landowner organisation, said compulsory purchase of land should be a "last resort" and small farms will be the ones that "suffer".
However, Lesley Griffiths refused to rule out a Welsh version of Corbyn's plans, and instead stated that she gave a “detailed response” to Mrs Davies when she wrote to her and that she had “nothing further to add.”
Mrs Davies initially wrote to the Cabinet Secretary asking her to rule out the proposals on 6th March.
The Cabinet Secretary wrote back on 19th March stating: “A Sovereign Land Trust is one of several possible tools to achieve a more equitable distribution of land value uplift arising from land being allocated in Local Development Plans and the granting planning consent, all of which require further detailed evaluation.”
Mrs Davies said the latest response is "extremely disappointing", and that a number of farmers from her region have contacted voicing concerns about the plans.
“This was the perfect opportunity for Welsh Government to distance themselves from these land grab proposals. However, they have refused to do that,” Mrs Davies said.
Labour's plans to create a new English Sovereign Land Trust will grant powers to the government to buy land at agricultural prices for housing.
The move has been announced by John Healey, the shadow housing minister. His plans will allow the Trust to buy up large plots of agricultural and industrial land - with compulsory purchase if necessary.
Mr Healey explained that the move would lead to cheaper housing and help free up space for the 100,000 council homes the party has pledged to construct per year.
