The proper place to build homes is at lower densities on agricultural land.

There is also the complete absence of inheritance tax on agricultural land and on certain business assets.

The need to protect agricultural land was neatly allied with the radical planning fervour of the 1930s and 1940s to check the spread of urban areas.

While returns on other investments have slowed during the economic downturn, agricultural land has increased in value by 202% over the past decade.

The annual loss of agricultural land currently averages 50 000 ha.