Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to issue a formal definition of a Large Built-Up Area for the purposes of planning decisions.

Local planning authorities (LPAs) must necessarily exercise judgement to interpret and apply national planning policy to their particular local circumstances.

The government published revised Green Belt guidance on 27 February 2025, to help LPAs review their Green Belt and identify grey belt land. This guidance sets out key considerations for informing judgements on the contribution land makes to checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas.