Grey Belt and the consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework

Following the opening of a public consultation by the new government, the term grey belt has now been defined in the recently issued draft changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), as part of the proposed reforms and changes to the planning system.  The term is envisioned to be utilised for strategic ‘plan-making’ by local authorities, and ‘decision-making’ when determining planning applications.

Grey belt is identified as:

1. Land in the Green Belt comprising Previously Developed Land (PDL) which is, simply put, land that is or was occupied by a permanent structure. It does not include land previously used for agricultural or forestry buildings, land used for mineral extraction or landfill, built-up areas like residential gardens and parks, or land where remnants of the previous structures have blended into the landscape.
2. Green Belt land that makes a limited contribution to the five Green Belt purposes. These are:
   i) to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
   ii) prevent neighbouring towns from merging;
   iii) safeguard the countryside from encroachment;
   iv) preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and
   v) assist in urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict land.

However, this excludes areas or assets of particular importance such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, National Parks, designated heritage assets, and areas at risk of flooding or coastal change.

The consultation runs until 24th September 2024. For more information, the article can be found here.

We at Halletec aim to unlock the potential of underutilised land, whilst sensitively considering the natural and local environment. If you have any questions, or are considering developing your land within, or outside the Green Belt, please feel free to reach out to us at: [email protected]

Image credit: altaf-shah

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