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'Grey Belt' rule change is welcome news for London new-build projects
New rules to speed up the planning process and prioritise the development of “grey belt” land are welcome news, particularly for those planning new-build projects in the London area, according to Dan Grimshaw of Putney-based construction specialists, Beam.
“Whilst the government’s revised National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF) focusses on national housing targets and major housing schemes, investment in local planning services and staff recruitment should also save private house builders and developers time (and ultimately cost) when navigating the planning process.
“Although, it will be a while before the full impact of these improvements is felt, the change to define ‘grey belt’ in planning terms is likely to free up a substantial amount of land for development; especially in cities like London, where many ‘in-fill’ sites exist within the greenbelt,” Dan said.
“Planning applications on ‘grey belt’ which have been rejected or shelved, can now be reassessed under the revised rules and new-build schemes within the green belt that are being processed, or would have been regarded as inappropriate previously, can now be prioritised.” he said.
Prior to the revised NPPF, it was only possible to obtain planning permission for new-builds on ‘grey belt’ land – “previously developed land” which “does not strongly contribute to green belt purposes” - in special circumstances.
Under the new framework, which came into force last week, if councils fail to meet mandatory new housing targets, they will be required to revisit their greenbelt boundaries to identify and prioritise the development of lower quality “grey belt” land.
To help local councils progress their plans, local planning departments will receive £100m of extra funding in 2025. This is in addition to increasing planning fees to cover costs and recruit an additional 300 planning officers.
If you are embarking on your own new-build and looking for a contractor to cover some or all planning, design and construction aspects of your project, please contact Dan Grimshaw, or visit Projects | Beam Development to view our work.
This material is published for the information of BEAM’s clients and contacts. It provides only an overview of the regulations in force at the date of publication, and no action should be taken without consulting the detailed legislation or seeking professional advice. Therefore, no responsibility for loss occasioned by any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the material can be accepted by the authors or BEAM Development Ltd.