The new Labour government needs to bring back land designated as Major Development Sites (MDS), according to planning and development consultancy Lichfields.
Before 2012 locations were marked as MDS, which meant green belt sites were developed for a range of uses, including leisure and tourism with theme parks and other major attractions, education, medical institutions, business parks and transport infrastructure.
Major Development Sites were removed by the 2012 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) – and since then a number of local planning authorities (LPAs) have adopting more of a one-sized-fits-all approach.
Ian York, a planning director at Lichfields, said: “National government has a very important part to play.
“With the new Labour government’s commitment to update the NPPF within its first 100 days, there is a crucial opportunity to reintroduce policy guidance akin to the previous MDS framework.
“This will provide much-needed clarity and support for LPAs and developers alike.”
The research shows that of the 180 LPAs with Green Belt land, only a third have adopted criteria-based, bespoke policies, while two-thirds default to generic NPPF guidelines.
This local policy context means less certainty for owners and operators to plan for the future of their sites where there is a continuous need, in the case of theme parks and leisure attractions for example, to renew and refresh attractions and overnight accommodation to ensure they remain attractive to visitors and competitive.
Furthermore, there’s a regional disparity in the policy approach, with the North West of England having the highest reliance on generic NPPF-based Green Belt policies and the South East of England leading in bespoke policies.
York added: “Our research shows that the majority of LPAs are adopting generalised policies that repeat national guidance.
“We must move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and adopt local, bespoke policies that recognise the unique characteristics of these sites.
“The report urges LPAs to engage with landowners and operators to create detailed policies that clearly define development parameters, ensuring these sites can thrive without compromising Green Belt integrity.”