Research says rejected applications could see more than 27,000 properties now built because of defintion changes
New research has said land previously designated as green belt land could be reclassified as grey belt land and turned into new homes.
Should these applications be looked at again and approved, it could help deliver over 27,000 new homes to the market.
Data specialist Searchland said there have been 3,425 planning applications rejected since 2010 due to being located on green belt land – which may now be considered grey belt.
The firm said that if these applications had been granted approval, it could bring an estimated 27,197 new homes to the market.
The South-east is home to the highest proportion of rejected planning applications with the potential for 9,001 new homes, Searchland added.
Searchland co-founder Hugh Gibbs said: “With the creation of the grey belt, the likelihood is that these applications are well worth revisiting.”
In the latest version of the National Planning Policy Framework, the definition of grey belt has been broadened changing the wording to land that “does not strongly contribute” to just three of the green belt purposes.
The purposes removed are encouraging development on urban land, and, more significantly, safeguarding the countryside from encroachment.
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