Green Belt

(asked on 1st March 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the decision of the Planning Inspector of 14 June 2021 on the Roundhouse Farm development, appeals reference APP/B1930/W/20/3265925, that states that this provision has not been incorporated with the Framework which has subsequently been updated, and similar guidance within the Planning Practice Guidance has been removed, on what date the guidance protecting the greenbelt was removed.


Answered by
Stuart Andrew Portrait
Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This question was answered on 9th March 2022

The Government is firmly committed to protecting and enhancing the Green Belt, in line with our manifesto.  The National Planning Policy Framework already provides strong protections for the Green Belt. It states that inappropriate development on Green Belt land should be refused planning permission unless it is justified by very special circumstances. Moreover, local authorities may not alter the boundaries of Green Belt land unless in exceptional circumstances, using the local plan process.  A local authority should consider releasing land from Green Belt only if it can be fully evidenced that it has explored all other reasonable options for meeting its development needs. This includes using suitable brownfield land for development.

Due to the Secretary of State's quasi-judicial role in the planning system, the Department cannot comment on specific local planning matters. The reasons for the conclusions reached in this case by the Planning Inspector are set out in full in the decision letter of 14 June 2021, which is publicly available online.  Decisions may be challenged by making an application for permission to the High Court within 6 weeks from the date of the decision.

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