There is no doubt that national policy is leaning harder into delivery.
Appeal approvals for Green Belt and Grey Belt schemes have increased significantly over the past year, with inspectors allowing a much higher proportion of applications than before.
That shift is even more pronounced when viewed over time. Analysis cited by planning barrister Joe Marron suggests appeal approval rates climbed to 61% in 2025, compared with below 50% in 2024 and a long‑term average of 39% over the past decade.
On the numbers alone, the direction of travel is clear. The pressure to unlock land for new homes is now shaping decisions in a way we have not seen for some time.
Local realities are telling a different story
Step into a planning committee or a community hall and the picture may feel quite different.
A number of committees remain cautious and can be reluctant to support ‘Grey Belt’ schemes, even where they meet national policy tests. Many of those refusals are then overturned at appeal.
One recent example illustrates how this tension is playing out on the ground. In Surrey, proposals for 135 homes on land ultimately deemed to qualify as ‘Grey Belt’ were refused by councillors following strong local opposition, before being overturned at appeal.
At the same time, opposition to Green Belt release continues to draw strong local response.
Across the South East and Midlands on certain projects, some councillors have been driven by community pressure to refuse schemes, followed by approvals on appeal.
For many residents, the distinction between “Green” and “Grey” Belt carries little weight when open land is perceived to be at risk.
Councillors are acutely aware of the political implications.
For them, national policy is one thing, and the reactions of their ward residents, particularly as we approach many local elections across the country, are another.
A growing gap between policy and public sentiment
Westminster is signalling urgency and Inspectors are responding accordingly.
Yet on the ground, the mood remains sceptical and sometimes openly resistant.
Developers may see a clearer route through the system, but communities often feel decisions are happening to them rather than with them. Councillors are left navigating between these pressures, which can deepen mistrust in the process.
‘Grey Belt’ was intended to provide clarity and unlock lower-value land. Instead, it has exposed how wide the gap has become between national ambition and local acceptance.
Where the sector needs to shift
This is where communication becomes critical.
If that gap is going to narrow, ‘Grey Belt’ needs to be explained in clear, practical, place specific terms. Communities want to know:
- Why a site qualifies
- What it looks like today
- What will genuinely change as a result of development
Abstract arguments about housing targets or policy compliance rarely land. The most persuasive messaging is rooted in everyday experience: safer walking routes, improved open space, investment in local facilities, better accessibility, or relief on pressure elsewhere in the borough.
Timing also matters. These conversations need to happen early, before positions become fixed. Even where schemes may ultimately succeed on appeal, early and transparent engagement helps avoid the perception that decisions are being imposed.
‘Grey Belt’ will continue to play a role in meeting housing need, and appeal trends suggest it will shape land supply for some time.
But unless the national push for growth is matched with clear, consistent engagement at the local level, the disconnect will only deepen.
There is space to build a more balanced approach, but it relies on clarity, openness and a willingness to engage meaningfully with local concerns.
Written by Yasmine Peacock