Planning News: Grey Belt applications starting to get local consent!

If you are reading this, you are probably aware that Grey Belt applications have been very difficult to secure local consents for, with many councillors using the committee process to attack the government’s policies instead of follow them.  Applicants have been responding by putting the matter into the hands of PINS as much as possible – where about ¾ of residential refusals are being overturned. This is political breakdown of the first order and a waste of money for both applicants and councils, neither of which have funds to spare at the moment.

Now for the News: this dysfunction is beginning to improve!

On Thursday night last week, Surrey Heath Council approved a grey belt application at committee with the minimum of fuss. It was certainly aided by the fact that the application was only 9 units and being run by a fantastic team at BlackOnyx, but there was also some significant local opposition and a robust attempt by some Councillors to stress the site’s green belt credentials...

The good thing about Surrey Heath Borough is that they’ve already seen one of the earliest grey belt appeal decisions allowed under the new NPPF, so it’s fair to say they’ve probably learned the grey belt lesson faster than most.

But contend with it they did, allowing a greenfield, grey belt, residential application at Planning Committee and demonstrating that the tide is turning.

How to avoid paying lots of money for an appeal on your Grey Belt Application:

Check the local history - have the council lost a grey belt appeal themselves before?  The burned hand teaches best and councils that have recently lost a grey belt appeal will be far more open to conversations about how the cost and time can be avoided.

Ensure that your design and sustainability credentials are front-and-centre, Councillors know that one of the reasons grey belt appeals get thrown out are “sustainable location” tests, and if you aren’t able to communicate effectively on this point then you will be creating the impression that you are chancing a site that’d be thrown out by an inspector.

Come in as a friend. Councillors are caught between a rock and a hard place with enforcing grey belt policies they might not like. The key is to understand the pressures they face from the NPPF on the one hand and vocal residents on the other. Most applicants don’t stand for elections themselves and don’t see the political elements of planning committee as it happens.

At the CCP, our speciality is using our experience to shift the odds at committee, not just filling in the statutory requirements.  With the wave of planning committees approving grey belt applications beginning to spread, if you are budgeting for an appeal in your application, you might be able to save yourself time and money by seriously seeking a local consent with us.