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SEG Home > Green Belt (Saltford) Green Belt'Save Our Green Belt' poster
LATEST CAMPAIGN NEWS!
BaNES Local Plan The draft Local Plan (2025-2043) was discussed and approved for public consultation by the BaNES Cabinet on 17th September 2026. The Public Examination is expected to be held in early 2027 with final adoption later in 2027; the new timetable is not yet confirmed. Once adopted, the Local Plan will guide planning decisions across Bath and North East Somerset until 2043. PLEASE NOTE these dates are subject to constant change. The BaNES Local Plan and Documentation web page can be found on the BaNES Council website from this link >> Latest on the Green Belt paddocks BaNES Cabinet approves draft Local Plan (September 2026)On 10th September, BaNES Council's Cabinet approved the draft Local Plan for public consultation. During the Cabinet's discussion it was evident that members of the Cabinet present were strongly against the position the Government had put BaNES Council in during early 2025 by imposing a doubling of the new housing target for BaNES from 14,000 over 20 years to 27,324 over 18 years. The undermining of the Green Belt around villages by the introduction of a new (and highly questionable) Grey Belt definition will lead to more development of the countryside, away from centres of employment. Local democracy for planning new developments has become progressively undermined by the Government. Changes introduced by the Government to national planning policies are taking decision making away from Local Planning Authorities if they do not comply with creating a Local Plan to the Government's strict timetable and that meet the Government's imposed housing targets. By effect, the Government has given more influence to developers who can appeal to Government or to the regional mayor to overrule the Local Planning Authority if it refuses planning permission for speculative applications. New "call in" powers on major planning applications are being planned by Government for regional mayors, including for developments exceeding 150 homes. If the Council does not approve and submit to Government a draft Local Plan for inspection by 31 December, then it will have to start again with a new Local Plan process in 2027 and a higher target imposed by Government for new housing. Without a 5-year land supply for housing in a Local Plan, that would make it even harder to resist speculative planning applications from developers and therefore the schools, healthcare, transport and community facilities needed to support new developments would not be planned in or sufficiently funded by the developer. In view of those factors, the Cabinet reluctantly voted to support the draft Local Plan and the 6-week public consultation on the draft Local Plan's "soundness". The consultation will be announced in the week commencing 14th September. Information on the public consultation will follow on our website when known. The video recording of the 10th September Cabinet meeting can be viewed on the BaNES Council YouTube channel from this link >> What is the Green Belt?The Green Belt covers 12.4% of the land area of England and is the area around many of our towns and cities that provides the countryside next door for 30 million people. The fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open. The concept of a Green Belt to protect a belt of countryside around large towns and cities originated in the 19th Century and became a reality in the 20th Century. In the 1930s a Green Belt was created around London by the city's local authorities. After WWII as the nation began to re-build its towns and cities, The Town and Country Planning Act 1947 allowed local authorities to include Green Belt proposals within their development plans. Subsequently local authorities around the country were encouraged to use formal and clearly defined Green Belts designations. Today there are 14 Green Belts in England and 1 in Wales. Saltford is surrounded by the Green Belt which is part of the "Bristol and Bath Green Belt" (aka "The Avon Green Belt"). "People deserve countryside on their doorstep where agriculture is less intensive, where there is space for nature that everyone can explore and enjoy and which is accessible to all. Green Belts have a crucial role in enhancing the sustainability of our cities. Green Belt land can provide essential ecological functions and recreational benefits which are fundamental to health and wellbeing. And this can go hand in hand with sustainable agricultural production and climate change mitigation" SEG's Green Belt Campaign
Protecting our local Green Belt will be a fast moving issue for Saltford during 2026 and 2027 as we continue to campaign to protect our Green Belt from development in the next BaNES Local Plan (2025-2043). Significant amounts of Saltford's Green Belt to the south and west of the village are targeted for development in the draft Local Plan. You are advised to regularly visit the news section on our home page and if you are on facebook follow Saltford Environment Group there to see how the campaign develops and for latest information on what residents can do to help protect our local countryside. SEG'S KEY OBJECTIVE Protecting Saltford's Green Belt from development is a key objective of SEG. SEG therefore maintains pre-prepared documentation setting out the planning case for why the Green Belt and other relevant policies of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), prove why, in national and local planning policy terms, Saltford's Green Belt is not appropriate for new housing or mixed-use developments. SEG does not deny that new homes are required and especially affordable homes for an unmanaged growing population, but they must be built in appropriate locations and represent genuine sustainable development. The annual reports from the CPRE on the state of brown field land in England reveal that this previously developed land could accommodate well over 1 million new homes and a significant number on the West of England's brownfield sites. Key news of activities associated with SEG's continuous campaign to protect Saltford's Green Belt from development will feature regularly on our home page. As a reference source we have published at the end of this page in our Campaign Archive some of SEG's written evidence, articles and other lobbying material etc. from our long term campaign. Saltford's Green BeltThe housing development area of Saltford is surrounded by Green Belt and the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) on the eastern bank (Bath side) of the River Avon towards Kelston and the Round Hill. Saltford is also surrounded by the Community Forest of Avon area (N, W and S sides of the village). The Parish Plan (2010) describes the local purpose and views about our Green Belt as follows: "Saltford lies within the Bristol/Bath Green Belt which is how it has managed to keep its countryside setting, and there is a clear view amongst residents that this Green Belt surrounding the village should continue to be protected from erosion through housing development." 93% of respondents to the Parish Plan questionnaire circulated in September 2009 thought it was important to preserve the Green Belt around Saltford. This demonstrates that a key reason why people choose to live in Saltford is for the quality of the local natural environment and countryside. The habitat it provides for local wildlife is also important and highly valued by residents. If we wish Saltford to retain the character and size of a rural village (Saltford is classified as a Rural Area RA1 village in the B&NES Placemaking Plan 2017, i.e. development will be acceptable within and adjoining the housing development boundary on land outside the Green Belt), then the protection of the Green Belt surrounding the village from development is essential. Against the background of a rising population, climate change and an ecological emergency it is also increasingly important that, for the ability of the local area to produce food for current and future generations, we protect viable agricultural land and natural/semi-natural land within the Green Belt. Farmland requires the ecosystem support (e.g. habitat for pollinating insects) of surrounding Green Belt and natural/semi-natural land to function. The Green Belt has a valuable role in providing food and habitat for our wildlife and thus protecting the biodiversity that is so important for a healthy environment that in turn is essential for our quality of life whether we live in Saltford itself or in neighbouring towns and cities where recreational access to the countryside is equally important. Photography & Advice for Drone Operators
Saltford's attractive Green Belt landscape with its Cotswold AONB backdrop including Kelston Roundhill and the River Avon, itself an SNCI (Site of Nature Conservation Interest), unsurprisingly attracts photographers during all seasons of the year. If you want to see some of the work of photographers based in and around Saltford, see the Saltford Photographers group on facebook: #saltfordphotographers. Drone operators wishing to take aerial video or photographs of or near Saltford need to be aware that Saltford Airfield has 3km and 5km flight restriction zones that cover much of Saltford. A drone should never fly in an airport or airfield's restriction zone without prior permission and drone operators are responsible for ensuring they comply with the latest safety regulations issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The operator of Saltford Airfield has produced a helpful 3-page pdf guide for drone operators that also includes CAA advice and this can be downloaded from SEG's website from this link:- Enquiries about flying drones should be made to Saltford Airfield (contact details are in the above guide). Local PlanThe Local Plan (or Development Plan) for Bath & North East Somerset primarily comprises the Core Strategy (adopted in 2014) and the Placemaking Plan (adopted in 2017), both of which cover a plan period up to 2029. BaNES Council is required to review the Local Plan every five years in order to determine whether it remains fit for purpose or whether all or part of it needs to be updated. At present BaNES Council is preparing a new Local Plan for the 18-year period period 2025 to 2043 (previously for the period 2022 to 2042). Following the launch of the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) by the Government in December 2024, BaNES Council has issued as part of its update to the Local Plan Preparation Schedule a revised timetable to enable consideration of further options for housing developments to meet the higher housing targets set by Government (that are highly questionable and should require no loss of Green Belt or farmland - see SEG's evidence statement 20.12.2024 (pdf)). The new dates are as follows (subject to change, last updated Sept 2026):-
To read SEG's campaign to protect Saltford's Green Belt from development in the new Local Plan see our Green Belt Campaign section higher up this page. However, as this issue constantly changes you are advised to regularly visit the news section on our home page and if you are on facebook follow Saltford Environment Group there to see how the campaign develops and for information on what residents can do to help protect our local countryside. SEG endorses Saltford Parish Council's formal request for a protective landscape designation for Saltford's Green Belt in the next Local Plan (that will cover development plans up to 2043). The main BaNES Council web page about the BaNES Local Plan can be reached from this link >> Placemaking Plan(s)
1. Saltford Placemaking Plan (2013)Saltford's Placemaking Plan was produced by a Working Group appointed by Saltford Parish Council and published on the SPC website in December (2013). The community was consulted on its contents between 23 November and 6 December 2013. The purpose of this plan is to complement the strategic planning framework provided in Bath & North East Somerset Council's Core Strategy. It provides an updated and refreshed planning policy framework for managing development in the Parish of Saltford. The plan breaks Saltford down into 7 distinct character zones: Green Belt, Conservation Area, housing settlements (north and south of the A4), river Avon frontage, A4 corridor and the two large satellite sites within the Green Belt. The following extract from the Green Belt character assessment (Chapter 6) and is as relevant today as it was in 2013:- The Cotswold AONB ridge and the distinctive local landmark of Kelston Round Hill (also known as Kelston Tump) together with Saltford's Green Belt and the river Avon provides a rural setting for the village. Despite Saltford's proximity to the cities of Bath and Bristol and the neighbouring town of Keynsham, this landscape gives Saltford its own distinctive character complementing and preserving both the setting of Saltford's Conservation Area with its historical buildings and the newer housing developments within the village. The openness of Saltford's Green Belt also provides a sense of permanence to the countryside surrounding the village, provides separation whilst keeping in check urban sprawl from Keynsham, Bristol and Bath, and helps to safeguard the adjacent countryside including the Cotswold AONB from encroachment. It is also a very important green infrastructure asset for Saltford and the wider community of Bath & North East Somerset. It provides ecosystems that support agriculture and wildlife together with an element of flood protection for the village from the river Avon and from surface water flooding arising from extreme rainfall events. In addition to sports facilities offered by Saltford Golf Club and the sports ground by Saltford Hall, the Bristol and Bath Railway Path together with Saltford's extensive network of public footpaths provide the community and many visitors from neighbouring urban areas with a healthy environment much of which is considered locally to be of outstanding scenic value. This also enables leisure activities such as walking and cycling that are important for healthy lifestyles and a general sense of well-being. 93% of households that responded to the Saltford Parish Plan questionnaire in 2009 specifically said that they wanted Saltford's Green Belt to be protected. This clearly expressed view is reflected in the 2010 Saltford Parish Plan's objective to "prevent development that will encroach upon the Green Belt around Saltford". 2. BaNES Placemaking Plan (2017)The BaNES Placemaking Plan is an important document as combined with the Core Strategy (adopted in 2014) these form the BaNES Local Plan (until it is replaced with a new Local Plan in c.2025). You can view the archived BaNES Placemaking Plan that was adopted in July 2017 on the BaNES Council website from this link: BaNES Placemaking Plan - archive. A road bypass for Saltford?The loss of Green Belt land from construction and the infill development that would inevitably follow, is just one of several reasons why a discussion paper produced for Saltford Environment Group's Committee says that at the present time the case has not been made for a bypass as a suitable solution for peak time traffic congestion in Saltford. The discussion paper looks at the potential adverse effects our village might face if a bypass was to be built, creating more environmental, social and economic problems than it would solve. The threat to our Green Belt and agricultural land from a bypass would be considerable as shown by the rejected proposals by BaNES Planners in January 2013 for a southern route bypass containing an infill of 5,000+ houses in the context of the draft Core Strategy. Furthermore the West of England Transport Study Final Report by Atkins (October 2017) concluded that a southern route bypass "would cross difficult terrain, with steep slopes south east of the village. It would be necessary to create a significant cut in the hillside, with a relatively steep gradient and potential requirement for a climbing lane in the westbound direction. These issues would collectively result in landscape impacts, major earthworks and relatively high scheme costs." The policy discussion paper on a road bypass for Saltford (first published 9.1.13) is a 'living document' that we shall review and update periodically. It can be downloaded here: Standing room only at the Saltford bypass public meeting (1.12.2016)
On the evening of 1st December 2016 c.200 residents attended a public meeting at Saltford Golf Club. This was arranged at short notice by Saltford Parish Council to give residents an opportunity to hear about the proposed bypass as illustrated in the West of England Joint Transport Study "Transport Vision" document which has a very short consultation period from 7th November to 19th December. On the panel stating their position on a bypass and taking questions from residents were Cllr Tim Warren, Leader of BaNES Council; Cllr Tony Clarke, BaNES Cabinet Member for Transport; Cllr Francine Haeberling, Ward Councillor for Saltford (Cons); Cllr Chris Warren, Chairman of Saltford Parish Council; and Duncan Hounsell, representing BaNES and Saltford Liberal Democrats. The meeting was chaired by independent chairman and Saltford resident, Dick Bateman. Cllrs Tim Warren and Tony Clarke were emphatic that the line on the map showing a bypass route south of Saltford was illustrative only and there were no plans for a bypass on any particular route around Saltford. It was being considered in only general terms at this stage as part of the mix of transport solutions to help alleviate the traffic congestion on the Bath-Bristol transport corridor as part of the Joint Transport Study which was intended to cover a 20 year period from 2016 to 2036. The majority of questions from the floor expressed concerns at the potential impacts on Saltford and the potential for infill housing on the Green Belt from a bypass. The need for evidence based information on the different options or solutions before the community was asked to express a firm opinion was also emphasised by several residents. A number of residents in the audience and the panel members from Saltford asked for the next published draft of the transport vision to not include any indicative line for a Saltford bypass. It was strongly felt that any indicative line showing a possible bypass would put an unnecessary long term housing and planning blight on a large part of Saltford. Food Security and the Green BeltAn estimated 75% of food crops rely on pollinators to some degree and 95% of food comes directly or indirectly from the soil...
The extreme fluctuations in our weather we experience increasingly are a symptom of human-induced climate change and can have drastic affects on food supplies and food prices. Clearly, extreme weather, fluctuating between prolonged periods of wet weather, heat waves and drought, arising from climate change makes a direct impact on the carrying capacity of the UK and can and will have a drastic effect on food supplies and food prices, i.e. food security. Rather than waiting for a food supply crisis to occur in the UK before taking action when it may be too late, the UK should plan ahead urgently by protecting our agricultural land and making sure we provide sufficient headroom to take account of (unmanaged) population growth raising the demand for food whilst climate change induced extreme weather reduces our agricultural land's capacity to produce food. It is reasonable to accept that the UK will always have to import some food but imports are likely to become less reliable or affordable. Who feeds Saltford & BaNES?Saltford including the housing development area is approximately 5.5 km2, just over 2 square miles, or 1,400 acres. Taking account of the existing developed land within the housing development boundary (approx. 1.1 km2, or 270 acres), we have around 1,100 acres left.
If we assume approximately 1 acre of agricultural land is required to feed one person (this is affected by diet and food production methods) then Saltford's population of 4,073 (2011 census) requires 4,073 acres, i.e. a footprint some 3 times larger than Saltford and its green belt. "Keeping land permanently open" is a purpose of Green Belt. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF - 2023) states (para. 120) that planning policies and decisions "should recognise that undeveloped land can be used for carbon storage or food production". In 2020, 71% of the UK's land, or 17.3 million hectares, was used for agricultural production, of which 72% was grassland and 26% cropland, with the remainder being set-aside or fallow land (source gov.uk re. Defra (AUK) 2020). BaNES's role in helping to feed the UK56.7% of the UK is farmland. 81% of BaNES is farmland yet only 5% of BaNES is natural or semi-natural land (heathland, natural grassland etc.) compared to a national average of 35%*. Farmland requires the ecosystem support (e.g. habitat for pollinating insects) of surrounding Green Belt and natural/semi-natural land to function. It would be irresponsible not to protect BaNES' natural/semi-natural land that underpins the economy of the BaNES and wider West of England area and our future food security in a changing climate made increasingly more critical by unmanaged population growth (see below). *Data source: Dr Alasdair Rae, University of Sheffield, using Co-ordination of Information on the Environment (Corine) land use codes, 2017. The UK's Food Supply: Who feeds the UK?If we consider the importance of green belt agricultural land for feeding the UK as a whole, we might question the wisdom and resilience of a proportional increase in our reliance on imported food in recent years to feed us. Is this sustainable in the face of increasing incidences of extreme weather events, due to climate change, and a rising world population? The UK's overall self-sufficiency in food during World War II increased from a historic low of about one-third at the beginning to around two-thirds by the end. The UK's highest period of self-sufficiency during the 20th century was in the 1980s (60 - 70%). The UK's self-sufficiency in food has declined since the mid 1980s. The official figure from Defra reveals the UK to have a "self-sufficiency" ratio - includes food exported that could otherwise be consumed, feed, seeds and livestock - of 60% in 2020 (source Defra Agriculture in the United Kingdom (AUK) 2020).
Based on the farm-gate value of unprocessed food in 2017, the UK supplied just under half (50%) of the food consumed in the UK. The leading foreign supplier of food consumed in the UK were countries from the EU (30%). Africa, Asia, North and South America each provided a 4% share of the food consumed in the UK. The three largest value imported commodity groups (at 2017 prices) were fruit & vegetables, meat and beverages Total UK cereal production has fluctuated, with significant dips in 2001, 2007, 2012 and 2013, linked to adverse weather conditions in those years. There was an 5% rise in 2017 compared to 2016 reflecting the above average yields recorded in 2015. Successive spikes in the price of agricultural commodities since 2007 have led to higher retail food prices. They have not returned to the low price levels of pre-2007. Low income households are affected disproportionately when food prices rise as they spend a greater proportion of their income on food. Note. Source of UK food supply data is published as National Statistics from www.gov.uk: Food Statistics Pocketbook (annual publication, Defra) RELEVANT FACTS THAT AFFECT OUR FOOD SECURITY Unmanaged Population Growth "Overconsumption and overpopulation underlie every environmental problem we face today" Sir David Attenborough summarised the serious yet neglected issue of population growth in 2018 with this statement:- "I started making television programmes in the 1950s. There are now three times as many people living in the world as there were then. Three times as many! They all need places to live and roads for their cars and hospitals and schools and places to grow food. Where is that going to come from? In the most part, it is going to come from the natural world, so the natural world is steadily being impoverished. The situation is becoming more and more dreadful and still our population continues to increase. It's about time that the human population of the world came to its senses and saw what we are doing - and did something about it". For information on the population issue and food security see links lower down this page. UK population since 1901 (Source: Census, ONS, etc. rounded):
UK population density (approx):
*1 hectare = 2.47 acres. I acre = approx. 1 small football pitch. The following article from SEG's NEWS page highlights the worldwide issue we are facing:-
The world's population is growing by c.0.9% per annum which is c.200,000 net additions every day (2021 est.).
It took until the early 1800s for the world population to reach one billion. Now we add a billion every 12-15 years.
Agricultural land lost to land degradation (worldwide):
*1 hectare = 2.47 acres. I acre = approx. 1 small football pitch. Climate change will depress agricultural yields by 15-50% in most countries by 2050.
Links to sources of UK population and food security data/information:
Resources from SEGYou can download SEG's Food Security Information Sheet (2013) here:-
SEG's Gardenshare Document (tenancy agreement): Policies and Government statements that affect the Green Belt (incl. NPPF)BaNESTwo planning policy documents together represent the BaNES Local Plan covering 2011-2029 at present (a new Local Plan is under preparation for the period 2025-2043):-
Both documents are archived on the BaNES website and can be found from this link:- Archive planning policy: Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan. Work on producing a new BaNES Local Plan for the 18-year development planning period 2025 to 2043 that reflects the Government's higher targets for new housing is underway. The target for final adoption is 2027 (subject to change!). News from SEG on the progress towards the new BaNES Local Plan can be found at or near the top of this page. National Government Planning Policy (NPPF)The Labour Government, elected on 4th July 2024, released a revised NPPF on 12th December 2024 together with higher mandatory housing targets for Local Planning Authorities (like BaNES Council). A further revised NPPF was issued on 17th August 2026. The NPPF represents the government's planning policies for England and how they are expected to be applied.
In the NPPF (version Aug 2026 and in previous iterations) the Green Belt serves 5 purposes (Chapter 13 "Protecting Green Belt land", policy GB2: Assessing existing Green Belt land) :- (a) Check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas; (b) Prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another; (c) Assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; (d) Preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and (e) Assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land. The NPPF (Aug 2026, and previously Dec 2024) allows Green Belt development on what it calls grey belt land. It provides a definition of grey belt at Annex B: "Glossary":- "For the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, 'grey belt' is defined as land in the Green Belt comprising previously developed land and/or any other land that, in either case, does not strongly contribute to any of purposes (a), (b), or (d) in policy GB2." Note: Purposes (a), (b), and (d) are:- (a) to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas, (b) to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another, and (d) to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns. The NPPF (Aug 2026) is taking a fast-track approach to allowing new housing developments near a station. At policy GB3: "Altering existing Green Belt boundaries" where a development plan's spatial strategy has "identified suitable land around well-connected stations for development, exceptional circumstances do not need to be demonstrated to justify altering Green Belt boundaries". Note: Stations are defined in the glossary as railway stations and underground, tram and light rail stops. Saltford does not have a railway station, the old station was closed in 1970. NPPF (Aug 2026) at Annex E: "Green Belt assessments" provides Local Planning Authorities with the Government's requirements for how Green Belt's should be assessed including the identification of grey belt land as defined in the glossary at Annex B. NPPF (Aug 2026)'s Policy GB8: The Golden Rules defines contributions that should be made for development of sites subject to a planning application on land released from the Green Belt. These refer to (a) affordable housing contribution, (b) necessary improvements to local or national infrastructure, and (c) the provision of new green space or improvements to existing green space, which is accessible to the public. Whilst "substantial weight should be given to the importance of complying with the Golden Rules", there are circumstances where the Golden Rules need not apply: previously developed land burdened by costs associated with the previous development; a strategic site; or for a development which is wholly different in type to that considered in the viability assessment that informed the development plan. The NPPF (Aug 2026) at Chapter 19 "Conserving and enhancing the natural environment" describes policies N1 to N6 for:-
The NPPF (Aug 2026) at Chapter 20: "Conserving and enhancing the historic environment" is primarily concerned with 'Heritage assets' that "are an irreplaceable resource, and range from sites and buildings of local historic value to those of the highest significance, such as World Heritage Sites which are internationally recognised to be of Outstanding Universal Value." RECENT GOVERNMENT STATEMENTS WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR (PROTECTING) THE GREEN BELT & BETTER LAND STEWARDSHIP (most recent 1st):-We have reproduced here recent policy statements from Government Ministers (since the 4 July 2024 General Election), as well as other statements/policies that remain in force until they are superseded, concerning protection of the Green Belt (and related matters). 9th September 2026: "Farming is as integral to our national security as energy or defence" says Environment Sec. of StateDuring her address to the NFU's Back British Farming Day 2026 reception, Environment Secretary Angela Eagle said: "Farming is as integral to our national security as energy or defence". In concluding her speech having reflected on the heatwaves and drought of 2026, an incredibly difficult year for many farmers, she stressed the importance of ensuring "that we can support a good and secure food supply". 7th January 2026: "We will not plough through farmland" says PMDuring Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday 7th January, in response to the question from Wendy Morton, MP for Aldridge-Brownhills (Cons), "Does he accept that his housing target can be met without destroying our farmland and countryside by reusing empty homes and brownfield land, or is that yet another promise that he never meant to keep?", Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer replied "We will not plough through farmland; we will make sensible proposals to build houses." Information source (link): Hansard PMQs 7th Jan 2026. 12 December 2024: Golden rules with 'brownfield first' approach for building on the Green Belt as Government launches revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)On 12 December 2024 the Government announced new mandatory higher housing targets for councils across the country and planning reform (the launch of the revised National Planning Policy Framework NPPF) and "lower quality 'grey belt' land defined in national planning policy for the first time, with tough new 'golden rules' on development to guarantee affordable housing, local services and green spaces". Under new planning rules, updated via the NPPF (December 2024):
Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner said: Reflecting our commitment to the plan-led system, meaning where and how new development is built through local plans, ministers will provide local authorities with three months in which to progress local plans that are currently in development, subject to conditions that catch those which significantly undershoot the new targets. But the government is introducing a new requirement that where plans based on old targets are still in place from July 2026, councils will need to provide for an extra year's supply of homes in their pipeline - six years instead of five. Where they do not, the strengthened presumption in favour of sustainable development would apply alongside the existing safeguards in national policy around provision of affordable housing, design quality, and sustainability of location. Brownfield land must continue to be the first port of call for any new development and the default answer when asked to build on brownfield should always be 'yes'. The government is also exploring further action to support and expedite the development of brownfield land in urban areas through 'brownfield passports' with more details to be set out next year. On the NPPF consultation, Deputy PM Angela Rayner said: The new annual housing targets continue to total an ambitious 370,000 across England, with higher mandatory targets in those places facing the most acute affordability. The Golden rules for this statement from the Government were summarised as:
NOTE: Grey Belt is defined in the NPPF as land in the Green Belt comprising previously developed land and/or any other land that, in either case, does not strongly contribute to any of 3 specific Green Belt purposes, namely (a), (b), or (d) - i.e. (a) to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas, (b) to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another, and (d) to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns. Relevant link (to gov.uk): Planning overhaul to reach 1.5m new homes. 15 October 2024: Brownfield first approach - Thousands of new homes to be built as government unlocks brownfield sitesPM Sir Keir Starmer: 'Our brownfield-first approach will not only ramp up housebuilding but also create more jobs, deliver much-needed infrastructure, and boost economic growth across the country.' Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said: 'The government is committed to a brownfield-first approach to housebuilding, and we have already taken steps to prioritise and fast-track building on previously used urban land through our proposals for a 'brownfield passport'.
Relevant Link (to gov.uk): 'Thousands of new homes to be built as government unlocks brownfield sites'. 19 September 2024: Disused petrol stations; abandoned car parks; low value scrublandPM Sir Keir Starmer speaking on the Government's brown-field first approach for new developments: "Sensible use of the Green Belt... Disused petrol stations; abandoned car parks; low value scrubland" - BBC, 19 September 2024. 31 July 2024: Letter from the Deputy Prime MinisterExtract from letter from the Deputy PM to Local Authorities: 'Playing your part in building the homes we need':- Green Belt and Grey Belt If targets tell us what needs to be built, the next step is to make sure we are building in the right places. The first port of call is rightly brownfield land, and we have proposed some changes today to support such development. But brownfield land can only be part of the answer, which is why we are consulting on changes that would see councils required to review boundaries and release Green Belt land where necessary to meet unmet housing or commercial need. I want to be clear that this Government is committed to protecting nature. That is why land safeguarded for environmental reasons will maintain its existing protections. But we know that large parts of the Green Belt have little ecological value and are inaccessible to the public, and that the development that happens under the existing framework can be haphazard - too often lacking the affordable homes and wider infrastructure that communities need. Meanwhile, low quality parts of the Green Belt, which we have termed 'grey belt' and which make little contribution to Green Belt purposes, like disused car parks and industrial estates, remain undeveloped. We will therefore ask authorities to prioritise sustainable development on previously developed land and other low quality 'grey belt' sites, before looking to other sustainable locations for meeting this need. We want decisions on where to release land to remain locally led, as we believe that local authorities are in the best position to judge what land within current Green Belt boundaries will be most suitable for development. But we also want to ensure enough land is identified in the planning system to meet housing and commercial need, and so we have proposed a clear route to bringing forward schemes on 'grey belt' land outside the plan process where delivery falls short of need. To make sure development on the Green Belt truly benefits your communities, we are also establishing firm golden rules, with a target of at least 50% of the homes onsite being affordable, and a requirement that all developments are supported by the infrastructure needed - including GP surgeries, schools and transport links - as well as greater provision of accessible green space. Relevant Link (to gov.uk): Deputy PM letter to Local Authorities. 1.11.2023 New Environmental Principles Policy Statement (previous Conservative administration)Ministers and government departments have a new legal duty to "have due regard" to the Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS) and therefore an obligation to consider the impact their policies will have on the environment that came into effect on 1st November 2023. The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) will now scrutinise and monitor the implementation of this obligation across Government. The OEP will scrutinise and monitor the implementation of the EPPS across Government and intends to report to Parliament after the summer of 2024. The EPPS covers five environmental principles set out in law that are:-
For the purpose of this policy statement, the EPPS (and as defined in the Environment Act 2021 section 45), "environmental protection" means:-
SEG COMMENT Although this policy is aimed at central Government it is intended to guide policy decisions and policy making, and specifically "national policy statements, strategies and frameworks" (as described in the "Policy making" section of the EPPS). The Green Belt is protected by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the implementation of planning policy requirements including policy frameworks such as the Government's NPPF, by default, is now subject to the Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS) that is a "statutory document" under the Environment Act 2021. Section 17 of the Environment Act 2021 states that "The Secretary of State must be satisfied that the statement will, when it comes into effect, contribute to (a) the improvement of environmental protection, and (b) sustainable development." The EPPS is intended to influence national policies including national planning policies, and thus the interpretation of sustainable development and environmental objectives of the NPPF, and not each individual planning decision. However, planning decisions have to be made in accordance with planning policies and in particular the adopted Local Plan that in turn is a requirement of the NPPF which now has to be compliant* with the EPPS. * i.e. its interpretation with regard to the improvement of environmental protection and sustainable development. RELEVANT LINKS The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) press release on the EPPS can be found from this link. The EPPS web page on gov.uk can be found from this link. CAMPAIGN ARCHIVESEG has been actively campaigning to protect the local Green Belt since SEG's inception in 2011. Here we publish (or link to) some of the written evidence, our news articles and other lobbying material etc. from our campaign as a reference source. APRIL 2026 SEG's postcard to the Prime Minister (April 2026) To mark the National Day of Action for Nature, Parks and Green Spaces on Saturday 18th April organised by the Community Planning Alliance, SEG posted a postcard to the Prime Minister. Here is the text from our postcard:- Dear Prime Minister The Green Belt is the countryside next door for 30 million people; its protection is essential for supporting nature, our health and well-being, and the nation's future food security. The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment; it is not the other way round. Building homes near employment, not in the countryside and rural areas, is sustainable development in its truest sense. Homes for Everyone has proved the national housing target can be met without destroying the Green Belt. Please will you keep your promise to take a brownfield-first approach, to protect sensible use of the Green Belt, and that only genuine brownfield sites such as disused petrol stations and abandoned car parks will be developed, and there will be no "ploughing through farmland" to build the new homes the nation needs? Please ensure planning decisions on new housing developments are not made by developers whose interests are different from local communities that have to live with the consequences of poor planning decisions. We look forward to your response. Yours sincerely Saltford Environment Group MARCH 2026 'Grey Belt' risk to Saltford - SEG responds to HMG consultation on planning policy changes Due to SEG's serious concerns over the threat to Saltford's Green Belt from proposals to reform the planning system - the National Planning Policy Framework, on 7th March 2026 SEG responded to the Government's consultation (16.12.2025 - 10.3.2026). The text of SEG's reponse can be downloaded from this link >> (pdf opens in new window). DECEMBER 2024 Following the launch of the Government's (then) latest NPPF in December 2024 to deliver 1.5 million new homes over that Parliament (to 2029), SEG prepared an evidence statement for why Green Belt and farmland is not required to meet housing need:- MARCH 2024 SEG asks BaNES to comply with Government policy on the Green Belt! (Local Plan consultation response). You can read the full text of SEG's response in March 2024 to the BaNES Local Plan Options Consultation by clicking on this link (pdf opens in new window) :- MARCH 2022 Defending the Green Belt when planning policy falls short (SEG 2022 News Archive) Green fields and wildlife habitats are not luxuries, but essential (SEG 2022 News Archive) NOVEMBER 2021 England's brown field land can take 1.3 million new homes latest report shows (SEG 2021 News Archive) MARCH 2021 Planners asked for space for wildlife & nature (SEG 2021 News Archive)
JUNE 2019 On 14 June 2019 SEG submitted its statement to the West of England Joint Spatial Plan Public Examination of the North Keynsham Strategic Development Location (SDL). You can read the submission here:
DECEMBER 2018 You can read the text of the article "Why the Green Belt in B&NES is so important" by our Chairman Phil Harding in the 5th December 2018 edition of The Week In here:
FEBRUARY 2016 To see comments submitted to DCLG by SEG on HMG's consultation on national planning policy, click here:
JANUARY 2016 On 27 January 2016 SEG submitted a policy paper 'Very special circumstances and the Green Belt' to the West of England Partnership as its response to the consultation for 'Issues and Options' in the West of England Joint Spatial Plan (JSP). You can download SEG's paper here:
AUGUST 2013 Saltford Green Belt Inquiry: The successful 2 year defence from 2012 to 2014 by the community of Saltford against an attempt by the developer Crest Nicholson to build on Saltford's Green Belt south of Manor Road including the August 2013 4-day Inquiry is recorded here: JANUARY 2013 In response to local press reports that residents in Bath and NE Somerset were concerned over possible housing developments on the Green Belt in the forthcoming draft Core Strategy, SEG wrote to "The Week In" and this appeared in the 24.1.2013 edition; the text can be downloaded here:
SEG wrote to B&NES Council on 30th January 2013 highlighting the need to protect our Green Belt agricultural land against unsuitable development. The letter described why we cannot accept further development on our Green Belt.
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On this page:- Photography & Advice for Drone Operators Food Security and the Green Belt (incl. Unmanaged Population Growth) Policies and Government statements (incl. NPPF) SEE ALSO:- Saltford (Manor Road) Green Belt Inquiry (August 2013) (new page)
In every walk with nature, The future will be green, When we heal the earth, Man's heart away from nature
The British countryside is threatened "...this Green Belt surrounding the village should continue to be protected..."
"Think global, act local" |
