We are supposedly in the middle of the worst recession in a generation, yet that has not stopped house builders from planning new homes.

The Government tells us we need new homes to meet the needs of this small island's expanding population.

And why would anyone want to live in cramped, dilapidated buildings in Bristol city centre if there was the option of moving into a nice shiny newly built home in the suburbs?

Not only will you get a new house, but there will be new shops, new schools, smooth roads and saplings lining every cul-de-sac.

The problem is those people who already live there. People who currently enjoy the clean air, or even a nice view of green fields earmarked for housing, would rather keep things the way they are.

It seems that almost every time a developer eyes a space for new houses, those people who already live in that area start jumping up and down.

Cynics would argue that they're not really interested in protecting green spaces for wildlife, or some rare species of lesser-spotted bat.

They might suspect that the residents' real concerns are about protecting the views from their windows, and the value of their homes.

Not In My Back Yard, in other words.

But we should give them the benefit of the doubt.

Yes, we need new houses, but it would be wrong to give house builders the green light to simply build where they want to.

And they should be encouraged to develop brownfield sites before they start eyeing up the countryside and inner-city green spaces.

That might cost the developers more, but it would cost our communities less.