Green belts

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Green belts are swathes of land protected from development through policy. The fundamental aim of green belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open. The essential characteristics of green belts are their openness and permanence.

See Practice Note: Green belts.

Policy

National policies relating to green belts in England are set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF states that the government attaches great importance to green belts. There is a general presumption against inappropriate development unless very special circumstances can be demonstrated to show that the benefits of the development will outweigh the harm caused to the green belt. The NPPF sets out what would constitute appropriate development in the green belt. The NPPF was updated in December 2024 to make significant changes to green belt policy in England to enable more development to take place in the green belt in specified circumstances. This is supplemented by Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) on the green belt.

For more information see Practice Note: Development in the green belt.

Wales

In Wales, national planning policy on green belts is set out in Planning

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