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Designing planning and housing data

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Planning consideration

Grey belt

Design stage
Backlog
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Background information

Each planning consideration we work on passes through the stages of our design process, where we research and answer specific questions to help us collect more information.

Backlog

  • Who asked for 'Grey belt' data?

  • What is the driver for the request?

  • Which 2024 focus area does the request support?

Screen

  • What is the 'Grey belt' consideration?

    For the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, ‘grey belt’ is defined as land in the Green Belt comprising previously developed land and/or any other land that, in either case, does not strongly contribute to any of purposes (a), (b), or (d) in paragraph 143. ‘Grey belt’ excludes land where the application of the policies relating to the areas or assets in footnote 7 (other than Green Belt) would provide a strong reason for refusing or restricting development.

  • Is there legislation that defines 'Grey belt'?

    No

  • Who, in law, is responsible for the planning consideration or makes decisions about 'Grey belt'?

    The Local Planning Authority - during plan making. It is included in the NPPF.

  • Which organisations do we think should publish the data?

  • Is the Grey belt a trigger?

    Yes

    • What needs to be done because Grey belt has acted as the trigger?

      Developer and LPAs will be required to provide evidence that the sites meet the requirements/principles of the grey belt.

  • Is the Grey belt something to consult during plan making?

    Yes

    • Provide information about when Grey belt is used during plan making

      Grey belt is a land designation given to specific sites during the local plan, based on certain criteria. Therefore, it will be used during the Greenbelt Assessment process, which feeds into a the Local Plan. If a site is designated as Grey Belt during the local plan process, it will be easier for developers to gain planning permission on those sites.

  • Is there any Grey belt data already available?

  • Do we think the data should come from a single source?

  • Will a data standard be required?

Research

  • Do we understand the lifecycle of a Grey belt?

    Yes

    • Document a stage of the high-level lifecycle of a Grey belt

  • Do we understand how the data is created/produced?

  • Where will or should the data be used?

    It will be used during the site allocation process in the Local Plan and decision making in the DM process

  • Green Belt, Local Plan, site allocations, decision making

  • Who are the statutory consultees for Grey belt?

  • Other than the statutory consultees who are the primary users of Grey belt? How do we expect them to use Grey belt?

  • What are the planning needs for this data?

    As the grey belt is a land/site designation there is a big planning need, in order to provide enough sites to meet the LPA housing need. By published grey belt data developers will know that their sites are considered more 'deliverable' for development.

  • Who are the types of users who might benefit from having access to Grey belt data?

  • What are some potential uses of Grey belt data?

    Site allocation, local plans, housing delivery, decision making

  • What's the value of adding Grey belt data to the platform?

    There is a big planning need to bring forward enough land for housing

  • From what we have learnt so far are there any risks to making Grey belt data available?

1 update

  • elliotrowen (15 April 2025)

    The concept of grey belt is a land designation that was included in the December 2024 NPPF. Subsequent NPPG has been published to support with the allocating of grey belt. However, due to this being a new concept, we are still in the early stages of knowing how it will work in practicality. Planning appeals are being made by developers on the bases that their sites are in the grey belt and therefore should be considered suitable for development.

Last updated: 2025-04-24 13:08:31