Grey Belt Rush: Are Local Planning Officers Leaving Decisions to the Inspectorate?

By PlotWire editorial desk – Analysis & insight for the development community

Architects and planning consultants across England report a rising trend of local planning authorities deferring decisions on grey belt applications, allowing Inspectors to determine the outcome instead. While such claims remain largely anecdotal, recent data helps explain the reasoning behind this emerging pattern.

Grey belt by the numbers

According to a study by the Land, Planning and Development Federation (LPDF, 2025), planning applications for grey belt sites rose by more than 160 per cent in the first half of 2025 compared with the preceding six months. Between December 2024 and August 2025, the Planning Inspectorate allowed 57 per cent of all grey belt appeals and 80 per cent of major residential appeals (LPDF, 2025). These rates are significantly above the long-term national average, where only about 40 per cent of planning appeals succeed (Planning Inspectorate, 2025).

Rising reliance on appeal

Across England, the Planning Inspectorate determined 18,346 appeals in the year to March 2025, averaging roughly 1,500 decisions per month (Planning Inspectorate, 2025). Although the dataset does not isolate grey belt cases, consultants view the overall increase as evidence that stretched officers and politically sensitive committees are leaning on Inspectors to resolve contentious applications.

Government issues fresh guidance

On 7 March 2025, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC, 2025) released updated guidance and £9.31 million in funding to 133 local authorities to help evaluate potential grey belt sites. The guidance emphasises that grey belt identification does not guarantee land release for development and that proposals must comply with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (Planning Portal, 2025).

This clarifies why some councils may be reluctant to grant permissions prematurely. By allowing appeals to run their course, local authorities avoid the risk of approving schemes that could later conflict with evolving national policy.

Policy uncertainty continues

The House of Lords Built Environment Committee (2025) has cautioned that the grey belt reforms may have “only a marginal impact at best” on housing delivery and risk creating further uncertainty. Nonetheless, high appeal success rates indicate that Inspectors are applying policy more flexibly than local committees, and developers see opportunity in that gap.

What to watch next

Further technical notes are expected later in 2025 on transport connectivity, biodiversity metrics, and site viability (DLUHC, 2025). Until then:

• Developers should submit comprehensive evidence on sustainability, design quality and local housing need to strengthen appeal cases.

• Local authorities might review decision-making thresholds to reduce non-determination appeals.

• Investors should monitor appeal outcomes as early signals of market sentiment and shifting land values.

A cautious conclusion

The statistics suggest that the grey belt initiative has fuelled a surge in planning activity and that many contested cases are now decided at appeal. Whether forthcoming guidance will temper this trend remains uncertain, but the policy has already reshaped strategic land dynamics across England.

PlotWire will continue to track these developments and publish quarterly data reviews. This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal or planning advice.

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References

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) (2025) Grey Belt Guidance and Local Authority Funding, 7 March 2025. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-to-support-local-authorities-with-the-costs-of-local-plan-delivery-and-green-belt-reviews-successful-local-authorities (Accessed: 7 October 2025).

House of Lords Built Environment Committee (2025) ‘Grey Belt policy having only a marginal impact at best’, 5 February 2025. Available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/518/built-environment-committee/news/205110/grey-belt-policy-having-only-a-marginal-impact-at-best/ (Accessed: 7 October 2025).

Land, Planning and Development Federation (LPDF) (2025) Grey Belt Applications and Appeal Outcomes, 2024–25 Survey Report. London: LPDF.

Planning Inspectorate (2025) Appeal Decisions Statistics, England, April 2024 – March 2025. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/planning-inspectorate-statistical-release-24-april-2025 (Accessed: 7 October 2025).

Planning Portal (2025) ‘New guidance on grey belt: Key updates for local authorities’, 7 March 2025. Available at: https://www.planningportal.co.uk/services/weekly-planning-news/planning-news-7-march-2025 (Accessed: 7 October 2025).