National Planning Policy Framework gives green light to build on grey belt

The new government has released its update of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for consultation, which makes for interesting reading. The Framework includes proposals to increase housebuilding targets, defines ‘grey belt’, and prioritises solar as a clean energy source.

Top-down housing targets are being proposed to increase the building of new homes from 300,000 a year to 370,000. This is a commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes over the next five years, with a mandate for local authorities to build on low-quality green belt sites, which will be reclassified as ‘grey belt’. The Alliance recognises the need to house the nation and to build more homes which means the countryside does have to play its part. Still, we must ensure that these homes are affordable for the community they are housing and are built on a brownfield and grey belt land as a first priority.

The proposal to reclassify some land as ‘grey belt’ is to be welcomed and the Alliance will play its part by responding to the consultation to ensure the countryside is protected where appropriate. The impression that most of us have is that the green belt is very special, prevents urban sprawl, and is a home to nature, but the reality is that much of it is not. It is not like a national park, which has been designated because it's extraordinarily beautiful, it's been designated just because of where it is.

The government's definition of the ‘grey belt’ includes land on the edge of existing settlements or roads, as well as old petrol stations and car parks. However, it will be up to individual councils to decide what will be designated as grey belt. Any review of the green belt must ensure that land which stops urban sprawl is protected while freeing up areas of green belt that are no longer providing any protection for much-needed housing.

The NPPF also includes proposals to turbo-charge the delivery of renewable generation in the UK and move the nation towards cheaper energy bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions. While we welcome these ambitions and the drive towards net zero, we must ensure that the proposals for solar energy include a rooftop-first approach and that our productive farmland remains available to deliver food security. Under the last government, the NFFP contained a consideration for agricultural land used for food production which enabled local planning authorities to refuse planning permission for solar farms, this has been scrapped in this consultation. The Alliance will lobby for the rooftop-first policy to be included in this review of the NFFP as it is a pragmatic approach to delivering clean energy but has been overlooked in this consultation.

The Countryside Alliance will respond to the consultation in full and our response will be published on our website. You can read the consultation here and the deadline for response is 24 September 2024.