Rewritten rules for approving developments will effectively override “conflicting” local policies in a bid to speed up the delivery of new housing, the Government has announced today.

In what has been described as the most significant overhaul of planning requirements for more than a decade, the changes are set to pave the way for increased development on greenbelt land in certain circumstances.

Fergus Charlton, Planning Partner at national law firm Michelmores, said:

“The government again has the green belt in its sights as being ripe for development. A year ago they introduced grey belt as a category of poor performing green belt on which housing can be built. Now proximity to a train station will further erode the policy protection given to green belt land, and this time the land’s contribution to the green belt purposes will not be taken into account. Piecemeal unplanned developments will increase urban sprawl and will encroach into the countryside, and will not necessarily deliver affordable homes.”