Green Belt and Grey Belt in England – exploring contestation in planning policy and delivery

This paper reflects on the latest situation with regard to planning for and with the Green Belt in England, within the context of recent changes to national planning policy. The paper summarises those changes, with a particular focus on the Grey Belt, a new planning designation which is designed to facilitate the release of Green Belt land for (housing) development. It explores how the new Grey Belt designation is intended to work, and seeks early evidence regarding how it is working in practice, querying whether it will have the effect the UK Government hopes. The paper situates these questions within broader ongoing debates regarding the relevance of Green Belt designations, and issues related to power and influence over planning decisions. It concluded that a better evidence base is needed to inform decisions about the Green and Grey Belt, and that a decision-making process which moves away from a dichotomous and opposition-driven approach would allow for better quality outcomes.