Garden development in the Green Belt (Grey Belt) - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)
Garden development in the Green Belt (Grey Belt)
Annexe 2 of the NPPF provides the definition of PDL and states the gardens within built up area are not included. Therefore gardens outside of built up areas remain to be considered as PDL.
Paragraph 154 of the NPPF outlines some exceptions to inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including:
e) limited infilling in villages.
g) limited infilling or the partial or complete redevelopment of previously developed land (including a material change of use to residential or mixed use including residential), whether redundant or in continuing use (excluding temporary buildings), which would not cause substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt.
Para 154 (e) would seem to be unaffected by the new Grey Belt rules. However, Para 154 (g) might well be.
If a home with a large garden is situated within the Green Belt, but outside of a defined settlement boundary, and is considered to be sustainably located, would that now be considered to be within the Grey Belt and considered under paragraph 155, and not have to meet the test of substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt under 154 (e)?
Thoughts please?
There have already been some recent appeals that might be relevant to the Grey Belt question, with one key point being that there has to be "a demonstrable unmet need for the type of development proposed". Take housing as a common example. If your area has a 5YHLS then a new house in 'the Grey Belt' would still be innappropriate development, but if there was an unmet need (and you're in a sustainable location and you meet the 'Golden Rules' it might be 'not innappropriate'. More generally in my opinion the recent changes to the NPPF don't change the principal that a proposal only needs to meet one test of 'not innappropriate' to be 'not innappropriate'.
Thanks, Richard. My Planning Resource susbsription is not up to date - please can you provide the appeal reference or case reference and authority, so I can research the decision you refer to.