Utilising previously developed brownfield sites that sit within the green belt could deliver hundreds of thousands of new homes, according to research undertaken by Knight Frank.
The company has identified more than 11,000 ‘grey belt’ sites comprising less than 1% of the green belt, which sit on land totalling 13,500 hectares and have a combined built footprint of approximately 10m sq m.
Knight Frank has calculated that repurposing the built footprint alone would accommodate approximately 100,000 new family homes and by adopting prudent average density assumptions that figure could increase to more than 200,000 homes.
Roland Brass, partner in the planning team at Knight Frank, said: “Our goal with this research was to make the approach to green belt more objective and less subjective. There is currently a focus on redeveloping urban brownfield land – but this should be no different for sites that sit within the green belt. Every site is different and must be considered for residential development on its own merits, however, those sites located on the edge of settlements or close to existing amenities should be prioritised, given their suitability for family housing which is in high demand.
“To make effective use of land as promoted in national policy, any future government should reconsider the existing green belt openness and impact tests for previously developed sites. This will help reimagine and improve them to deliver much required new housing, as well as providing other local and environmental benefits. This approach is a straightforward way to quickly increase housing land supply and has the added benefit of simplifying the planning process and providing more certainty.”
Charles Dugdale, head of development partnerships at Knight Frank, added: “The term green belt is often emotive and can conjure images of beautiful rolling countryside; while this is mostly the case, the land we have identified in this study is previously developed, meaning that it is neither completely open nor performing a function as the green lungs of a city. These previously developed sites can work harder by contributing housing. Making the most of these brownfield sites will protect most of the green belt and would not undermine its role in controlling urban sprawl.
“We are calling on the next elected government to engage in a mature conversation about the use of green belt and allow grey belt sites to be allocated for development in new local plans to help address local needs and promote sustainable patterns of development.”
