New figures show that the number of additional housing applications submitted last year reached 35,000, bringing the total amount of proposals for construction on protected land to a record 460,000.
More than 24,000 homes were built on the green belts of the UK in the last nine years, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
A report released by the group, titled "State of the Green Belt 2018" showed the number of finished homes constructed on the green belt had doubled in a year to 8,000.
Within the green belt, the majority of construction was on brownfield sites on the green belt, but further analysis shows the majority of greenfield homes were then sold for prices unattainable to the average homebuyer.
Matthew O'Connell, housing adviser for the Country Land and Business Association, which represents the owners and managers of over 10 million acres of rural land, said building on green belt land was to prevent "urban sprawling" as opposed to a policy to protect the countryside. "Despite the acute need for new homes, the green belt reduced by less than 0.5% between 2016-17, and it still covers a greater area than developed land in England."
Robert Colvile, of the Centre for Policy Studies, stated: "No one is calling for the green belt to be concreted over. But there is plenty of scope for judicious development, for example around transport hubs, while protecting the most beautiful countryside."
