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. Development in the green belt is inappropriate unless it falls within one of the categories identified in the NPPF as not inappropriate. Inappropriate development should not be approved except in very special circumstances. The NPPF includes provisions relating to ‘grey belt’ land and ‘Golden Rules’ for certain development in the green belt, as well as provisions relating to development within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations. The NPPF 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 Policy Wales (PPW).

PPW advises local planning

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