Key Changes to the PPG
The updated guidance follows changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in December 2024, which includes, among other things, an additional allowance for Green Belt development to be considered “not inappropriate” if it utilises Grey Belt land and meets other criteria.
The new PPG clarifications include:
• Criteria for assessing how Green Belt land contributes to Green Belt purposes, aiding the identification of Grey Belt land.
• Guidance for evaluation development proposals on Grey Belt sites.
• Direction on selecting sustainable locations for Green Belt land release or development.
• Updated methodology for considering the impact of development on Green Belt openness.
Implications for Development in Villages
One of the most critical updates within the PPG is the explicit clarification that villages should not be classified as large built-up areas when assessing a site’s contribution to Green Belt purposes. This distinction is crucial as it removes a common barrier imposed by Local Planning Authorities when considering developments on the outskirts of villages within the Green Belt.
This change helps to eliminate resistance to development by confirming that:
• The Green Belt purpose of preventing town coalescence does not apply to villages.
• The Green Belt purpose of preserving the setting and special character of historic towns does not extend to villages.
Opportunities for Developers and Landowners
These updates provide a stronger foundation for demonstrating that certain sites contribute little or nothing to Green Belt purposes and should be reclassified as Grey Belt. Such sites, when meeting other NPPF tests, can now be deemed suitable for development without being considered inappropriate.
Our clients are already taking advantage of these policy shifts, with several Grey Belt sites progressing through various stages of the planning process. In fact, we recently secured a successful appeal based on these new interpretations for a Southwest Surrey scheme.
