The federal government’s ‘gray belt’ coverage is paving the way in which for large-scale improvement on England’s unspoilt rural landscapes – not, as ministers promised, unused automotive parks and derelict petrol stations, new analysis from CPRE, the countryside charity, has revealed.
For the reason that coverage was launched in December 2024, 13 developments of ten or extra houses have been permitted by authorities planning inspectors on ‘gray belt’ land within the Inexperienced Belt.
Of the 1,250 houses these schemes will ship, 88% will probably be constructed on beforehand undeveloped countryside. These developments make up greater than 90% of houses granted planning permission on ‘gray belt’ websites by inspectors. An extra 21 smaller schemes, totalling not more than 91 houses, comprise the the rest.
In December 2024, when the coverage was launched, the CBRE highlights that authorities gave ‘disused petrol stations’ and ‘deserted automotive parks’ as examples of websites within the Inexperienced Belt that could possibly be thought of ‘gray belt’ and launched for improvement.
In April 2024, Sir Keir Starmer described ‘gray belt’ land as ‘poor-quality scrubland, mothballed on the outskirts of city’, in addition to beforehand developed land comparable to disused petrol stations and automotive parks. The CBRE factors out that he promised: “We’ll prioritise ugly, disused gray belt land, and set robust new situations for releasing that land.”
Earlier this yr, different CPRE analysis demonstrated that there’s sufficient beforehand developed land in England for 1.4 million new houses, of which virtually half have already been granted planning permission.
The CBRE says that thsi reveals that the federal government can transfer rapidly in the direction of its UK-wide goal of 1.5 million new houses with restricted improvement on unspoilt countryside. It argues that concentrating on the Inexperienced Belt is a alternative, not a necessity.
CPRE is urging the federal government to amend its definition of the ‘gray belt’ in order that improvement is allowed solely on beforehand developed land. It is usually calling for robust safety for high-quality farmland and vital wildlife habitats, making certain they don’t seem to be misplaced to building. As well as, CPRE needs the federal government to set formidable, legally binding targets for delivering genuinely reasonably priced and socially rented houses in all new developments, with clear accountability for builders if these houses usually are not offered.
CPRE chief government, Roger Mortlock, mentioned: “In apply, the federal government’s “gray belt” coverage has not been about constructing on petrol stations however an existential menace to the protections of the Inexperienced Belt.
“Our newest analysis reveals that the coverage is imprecise, subjective and deceptive to the general public. Its lack of readability has been excellent news for massive housebuilders however dangerous information for everybody who loves the countryside.
“We all know from CPRE branches throughout the nation that the scenario is getting worse, as native authorities are so determined to fulfill revised housing targets that they’re pressured to approve speculative improvement within the Inexperienced Belt.”
CPRE coverage lead, Emma Marrington, commented: ”The Inexperienced Belt is the countryside subsequent door for nearly 30 million individuals on this nation. In addition to having a number of the nation’s best-quality farmland and most vital wildlife habitats, these locations round our largest cities and cities play an important position in serving to to ship the authorities’s goal of 30% of land protected for nature by 2030.
“We’ve bought to face up for England’s Inexperienced Belt. As soon as it’s misplaced, it’s misplaced for good.”
