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NPPF changes – Does the new grey belt designation make your site viable again?

The Labour government’s recent overhaul of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has introduced a number of reforms aimed at delivering more homes while achieving sustainable development. Dan Hughes, planning director at PWA looks at the NPPF’s new grey belt designation and what it might mean for sites that previously could not be built on.

With an incredibly ambitious plan to build 1.5m homes over the course of the next parliament, Labour has unveiled some significant changes to planning policy.

One of these is the concept of ‘grey belt’ land which aims to identify and use specific areas within the green belt that are suitable for development but where building upon them would not compromise the broader aims of green belt protection.

What is grey belt?

The NPPF defines grey belt land as areas within the green belt that comprise previously developed land and/or other land that does not significantly contribute to the primary purposes of the green belt, specifically:

  • Checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas.
  • Preventing neighbouring towns from merging into one another.
  • Preserving the setting and special character of historic towns.

This definition excludes land where existing environmental designations provide strong reasons for refusing or restricting development.

How will grey belt be implemented?

The grey belt concept influences both local authority plan-making and individual planning decisions, with local planning authorities (LPAs) responsible for defining and maintaining green belt boundaries.

The revised NPPF clarifies that “exceptional circumstances” justifying green belt alterations include situations where an authority cannot meet its identified housing or commercial development needs through other means.

How will decisions be made on grey belt sites?

Under the revised NPPF, development on grey belt land is not regarded as inappropriate if it:

  • Can be used without fundamentally undermining the purposes of the remaining green belt
  • Demonstrates unmet need for the proposed development
  • Is in a sustainable location.
  • Complies with the “Golden Rules” for development contributions

What are the new “Golden Rules” for grey belt development?

For major residential developments on grey belt land, the NPPF introduces three “Golden Rules” to ensure community and environmental benefits:

Affordable housing: Developments must provide affordable housing contributions that are 15% above the highest existing local policy requirement, capped at 50%. This ensures a significant portion of new housing is accessible to those in need.

Infrastructure improvements: Developments should contribute to necessary improvements in local or national infrastructure, addressing the increased demand resulting from new housing.

Green space enhancements: Projects must provide new or improved publicly accessible green spaces, enhancing community amenities, and supporting environmental wellbeing.

Compliance with these rules is given significant weight in favour of granting planning permission.

Implications for development – what to do next

The introduction of the grey belt offers opportunities for development in areas previously constrained by green belt policies.

Landowners with underused or derelict land on the outskirts of towns, such as scrubland, disused car parks, former industrial or commercial sites, other abandoned buildings, or land with minimal ecological value, may now be able to develop those sites.

However, it’s important to remember that not all green belt land is grey belt – only specific areas that meet the criteria of low-quality, under-utilised land will be considered grey belt.

As always, you should seek professional planning advice to assess the potential for development. PWA have significant experience in green belt development and are currently working on an array of grey belt sites. Should your land have previously not been found as likely to gain planning permission, whether within or outside of the green belt, now is time to revisit development potential given the recent Government changes. PWA can do this, providing candid no obligation advice at the outset.

If you require more information on the changes to the NPPF and new grey belt designation, please contact our team on 01772 369 669.

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