"The decision to reclassify low-quality areas of Green Belt land as Grey Belt is a necessary first step to release the most sustainably located land for new development. "
In its first week in office, the new Labour government got to work quickly, making a series of announcements. The first Cabinet meeting took place on Saturday morning, followed by a tour of the UK’s devolved national administrations from Sir Keir Starmer, and Rachel Reeves’ speech to business leaders on Monday. On Tuesday, Sir Keir Starmer met English regional mayors saying he would strive to build a ‘real partnership’ with the English leaders. The Government also announced it would be dropping the term ‘levelling up’, with the department returning the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government.
Rachel Reeves laid out plans to ‘get Britain building again’, delivering jobs and 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament (a very challenging target), the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. The announcement of a Planning and Infrastructure Bill in the King's Speech and then the reversion of and consultation on the NPPF which followed later in July are all very much welcomed.
Much of the detail in terms of planning reform will be clarified and expanded upon over the coming weeks and months. Perhaps most notable is the requirement that local planning authorities carry out strategic Green Belt boundary reviews, with a view to releasing some Green Belt, or 'Grey Belt' land for housing. There is no doubt that Green Belt development is critical to successfully addressing the housing crisis.
We look forward to further detail on how the so-called Grey Belt might be defined, where it exists and how accessible it is. Furthermore, who will carry out the assessments and on what basis and what factors will determine Grey Belt suitable for development - from environmental considerations to sustainable transport and more.
Labour has set out a bold and ambitious plan to deliver ‘towns of the future’ as a significant initiative to tackle the housing crisis but delivering 1.5 million homes is a very tough challenge, and we question whether or not this is achievable without buy-in from local planning authorities. The task of creating substantial new communities will inevitably mean utilising greenfield, or Green Belt land. The decision to reclassify low-quality areas of Green Belt land as Grey Belt is a necessary first step to release the most sustainably located land for new development. But it will be a controversial move that will inevitably face opposition from environmental groups and local residents, indeed some opposition MPs have already voiced concerns, and this will only increase as further details are released. Tough decisions like this will become common if the new government is to have any realistic hope of meeting its ambitious housing targets.
Will Grey Belt be recognised in planning law? As we know from the way in which the NPPF has been manipulated, whether to appease so-called NIMBYs or fast-track political priorities, something so significant would require legislation. And new legislation requires thorough consultation and support across various stakeholder groups: it is no quick fix.
On the topic of local opposition, perhaps most significant announcement in Rachel Reeves’ speech was her final comment regarding development: “We will not succumb to a status quo, which responds to the existence of trade-offs by always saying no and relegates the national interest below other priorities”. We saw far too much acquiescence in the last government, much of it centred around greenfield / Green Belt land – but acquiescence is the path of least resistance: anything other can be challenging.
We don’t underestimate the level of opposition to development on agricultural and open land. Given Labour’s increased performance in rural areas across the South East, East Anglia, and the Midlands, new Labour MPs may find themselves in the position where many of their new constituents oppose development, creating some difficult choices.
Furthermore, to substantially increase housebuilding requires not only a more efficient planning system, but also access to skilled labour, materials, and a strong market. A change in government is immediate but to make substantial changes across all aspect of planning and development requires a longer-term process of observation, consultation and implementation. I believe it is important that those of us in the sector are involved in what will at times be a challenging process. We have direct experience of the successes and failings of the past 14 years and before, and are keen to make a positive contribution to get Britain building again.
It is clear from the new Government’s initial announcements that we are at the beginning of a more positive approach to planning which is long overdue, just as local reviews of Green Belt land to enable the necessary housing are long overdue. But getting the first steps is vital to achieving success. Labour’s support at this election is broad but shallow, and will require a careful balancing act to deliver the significant uplift in new homes while at the same time doing it sensitively to minimise opposition.
