Research shows most ‘Grey Belt’ homes planned on unspoilt countryside

New research from CPRE, the countryside charity, reveals that the government’s ‘grey belt’ policy is paving the way for large-scale development on England’s unspoilt rural landscapes – not, as ministers promised, unused car parks and derelict petrol stations.

PLANNING

CPRE The countryside charity london

3/15/20261 min read

The “Grey Belt” has quickly become the new buzzword in the housing debate — a neat way to suggest we can build our way out of the crisis without really touching the countryside.

In reality, much of what’s now being labelled “Grey Belt” isn’t derelict wasteland — it’s like Ladyland Farm in Horley/Salfords beautiful, functioning countryside, farmland, and a wildlife habitat that still matters

Here’s the kicker: we’re not short of space we’re just not using the right space. There are vast brownfield opportunities already identified, thousands of homes with planning permission still sitting unbuilt and a vast number of homes and commercial properties sitting empty. Meanwhile, the real “Grey Belt” — underused urban land like car parks - is hiding in plain sight, offering far smarter, more sustainable development potential. Read CPRE article