Lords Criticize Labour’s 'Grey Belt' Policy as Ineffective and Poorly Defined

Peers argue the policy's vague criteria and rushed implementation undermine its potential to address housing shortages.

The 'grey belt' policy aims to allow development on low-quality green belt land to meet a target of 1.5 million new homes by 2029.
A Lords committee report highlights unclear definitions within the policy, raising concerns about speculative planning applications and inconsistent implementation.
Peers warn the policy, introduced by Labour, may have only a marginal impact due to overlapping planning reforms and existing green belt review processes.
The committee criticized the policy for being rushed and lacking a clear plan to measure its effectiveness or assess its environmental and infrastructure impacts.
Concerns were raised about insufficient resources in local planning departments, despite a £46 million funding boost aimed at hiring additional planners.