Designating land as grey belt could undermine the Rural Exception Site mechanism

Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate on 15th September, Gideon Amos, the Liberal Democrat MP for Taunton and Wellington, argued that the government's new approach to planning, including mandatory housing targets and the new category of grey belt land, undermined Rural Exception Sites, which were "the one thing that has reliably delivered affordable homes for local people in rural areas".  Mr Amos argued that, while hope value had always been the enemy of Rural Exception Sites, the grey belt had created hope value around every village and green belt.  In response, Matthew Pennycook highlighted the importance of having an up-to-date local plan, showing how unmet housing need will be met.  This would provide protections against developers applying for sites to be redefined as grey belt as part of their planning applications.