The Nation Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) introduced the concept of Grey Belt to the UK planning system in December 2024.
Newly defined categories allows for lower quality, underused, or previously developed land within traditionally protected Green Belt to be used for development, these are now referred to as ‘Grey Belt’.
What we are now seeing is that planning permission is being granted on Green Belt land that had previously been rejected at planning appeal level. Local authorities have the power to reclassify Green Belt and this is leading the way for developers to gain access to our Green Belt Land.
An example of this is the development site at Shenley Hill, Radlett where the Planning Inspectorate approved previously rejected application for development of 195 houses as the inspector concluded that the site qualifies as “grey belt” land because it does not make a strong contribution to the purposes of the Green Belt. This application had previously been rejected at an inquiry in August 2023 stating that the benefits of the development proposal ‘do not clearly outweigh the overall significant harm to Green Belt and the substantial adverse landscape effects of the character and appearance of the area’. By February 2026 the planning Inspectorate overturned the refusal and has now granted planning permission.
Shenley Hill, Radlett
This change in policy could have a devastating and lasting affect on our local area as North Mymms is being targeted by developers and local authorities to build more than 2000 homes.
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