The Green Belt’s Golden Rules explained: What’s changing and why it matters

Monumental changes to Green Belt planning policy were finalised in December 2024; changes that will significantly increase development in these previously protected parts of England.

Does this mean crowded cities will soon replace our treasured countryside?

Fortunately not.

In the new NPPF, the government outlines three key golden rules developers must adhere to to gain approval in the Green Belt.

These Green Belt golden rules ensure that when major development gets the green light on Green Belt land, it’s done so in a way that protects the environment, prioritises affordability, and improves infrastructure. 

Before we dive into what each rule demands - as well as who the rules apply to - let’s begin with a bit of background.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the Green Belt are fundamental components of England’s planning system, each playing a critical role in shaping how land is used and developed. 

To understand the importance of the golden rules, we need to start by understanding the NPPF and the Green Belt policy.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the planning policies for England and guides how local authorities and developers make decisions about land use and development. 

First introduced in 2012 and regularly updated since, the NPPF provides a unified framework designed to ensure sustainable development, balancing economic, social, and environmental priorities. It aims to simplify the planning process by consolidating various policies into one cohesive document while giving local authorities the tools to tailor their plans to meet community needs.

The NPPF establishes key principles for development, including the presumption in favour of sustainable development, which prioritises building projects that deliver economic growth and social benefits while minimising environmental harm. 

It also includes policies to protect natural and historic environments, promote affordable housing, and ensure proper infrastructure is in place to support new developments. Central to the NPPF is the requirement for local authorities to prepare local plans that align with its objectives, setting out how they will manage growth in their area.

The latest updates to the NPPF, including these new Green Belt golden rules, reflect the government’s efforts to address specific challenges, such as the housing crisis and infrastructure deficits. 

These revisions aim to modernise and speed up planning practices, ensuring that housing delivery is prioritised while still maintaining protections for the environment and ensuring development is sustainable and community-focused. 

The Green Belt is a land use policy designed to prevent urban sprawl and maintain the character of rural and natural landscapes. 

Established in the mid-20th century, the Green Belt concept was introduced as a planning tool to limit the outward expansion of cities and towns, ensuring that urban areas remain distinct, and surrounding countryside and green spaces are preserved.

Today, Green Belts are governed by strict planning regulations, making it difficult for developers to build on them unless there are Green Belt exceptions or very special circumstances at play.

While many people mistakenly assume the Green Belt is an environmental policy, according to the NPPF, the Green Belt land serves five key purposes:

While the Green Belt plays an important role in preventing urban sprawl and maintaining the character of rural areas, it has also been criticised for contributing to the housing crisis. 

How exactly? 

Well, the strict Green Belt protections have greatly limited where new homes can be built, even in areas where housing demand is high. This restriction has driven up property prices, making housing less affordable and exacerbating the challenges faced by first-time buyers and those on lower incomes.

Of course, the recent December 2024 policy updates that came as part of the government’s major planning reforms will change the game completely, allowing sustainable development to go ahead on the Green Belt while still preserving its integrity.

Now that we have the background covered, let’s get into the main reason you’re here - to learn about the golden rules for Green Belt development.

The Green Belt golden rules are among the many changes introduced in the updated 2024 NPPF. Fundamentally, these rules aim to increase development on Green Belt land while ensuring it is approached in a thoughtful and sustainable manner.

According to paragraph 158 of the new NPPF, ‘development which complies with the Golden Rules should be given significant weight in favour of the grant of permission.’ 

So, what exactly are these Green Belt golden rules? 

As outlined in paragraph 156 of the new NPPF, the Green Belt golden rules are described as follows:

“Where major development involving the provision of housing is proposed on land released from the Green Belt through plan preparation or review, or on sites in the Green Belt subject to a planning application, the following contributions (‘Golden Rules’) should be made: 

a. affordable housing which reflects either: (i) development plan policies produced in accordance with paragraphs 67-68 of this Framework; or (ii) until such policies are in place, the policy set out in paragraph 157 below; 

b. necessary improvements to local or national infrastructure; and 

c. the provision of new, or improvements to existing, green spaces that are accessible to the public. New residents should be able to access good quality green spaces within a short walk of their home, whether through onsite provision or through access to offsite spaces.”

In short, major development needs to prioritise affordability, improve infrastructure, and provide or improve accessible green spaces. 

Now we have a brief understanding of each of the rules, let’s take a more in-depth review of how they are measured.

a. affordable housing which reflects either: (i) development plan policies produced in accordance with paragraphs 67-68 of this Framework; or (ii) until such policies are in place, the policy set out in paragraph 157 below; 

The first rule regarding affordable housing is admittedly one of the more complex aspects of the Green Belt golden rules, so let’s break it down:

Affordable housing requirements under the golden rules depend on whether local development plan policies are already in place. These requirements follow one of two paths:

In simpler terms, the framework ensures that affordable housing is prioritised even while local authorities update their policies, with clear fallback rules to avoid delays.

b. necessary improvements to local or national infrastructure

Unlike rules a and c, the NPPF does not explicitly list what constitutes ‘necessary improvements’ under rule b. However, it states that developments must contribute to local or national infrastructure needs, which will be determined by LPAs based on local priorities.

However, the consultation text provided alongside the initial draft NPPF stated that these necessary improvements will include the delivery of “new schools, GP surgeries, transport links, care homes and nursery places” in an effort to “deliver well-designed, connected places, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify the infrastructure that their communities need.”

This text highlights a shift away from top-down mandates, placing the responsibility on Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to identify and prioritise the specific infrastructure needs of their communities. 

c. the provision of new, or improvements to existing, green spaces that are accessible to the public. New residents should be able to access good quality green spaces within a short walk of their home, whether through onsite provision or through access to offsite spaces.

Rule c signifies the government’s commitment to enhancing green spaces in the Green Belt and to ensuring a high quality of life for residents of these new developments. 

How these improvements will be measured is outlined in paragraph 159 of the NPPF.

It says improvements should, “contribute positively to the landscape setting of the development, support nature recovery and meet local standards for green space provision where these exist in the development plan.”

What if no locally specific standards exist?

In that case, “development proposals should meet national standards relevant to the development (these include Natural England standards on accessible green space and urban greening factor and Green Flag criteria).” 

Finally, paragraph 159 concludes by saying, “where land has been identified as having particular potential for habitat creation or nature recovery within Local Nature Recovery Strategies, proposals should contribute towards these outcomes.”

Any major development proposed on land released from the Green Belt through plan preparation or review, or on Green Belt sites subject to a planning application, must follow the golden rules.

To clarify, a major development is assessed by the The Town and Country Planning Order as any application that involves:

According to the new NPPF, the golden rules do not apply to developments that were “brought forward on land released from the Green Belt through plans that were adopted prior to the publication of this Framework; and (ii) developments that were granted planning permission on Green Belt land prior to the publication of this Framework.”

So, those developments approved under the previous rules won’t need to adhere to the golden rules.

Additionally, minor developments (in England this is classed as under 10 dwellings) won’t need to follow the golden rules.

Now the crucial question - is the introduction of these golden rules a good thing or bad?!

Let’s start with the positives.

The introduction of the Green Belt golden rules marks a monumental shift in how the UK balances the dual priorities of housing development and environmental preservation. 

For decades, the Green Belt has been a fiercely protected barrier to urban sprawl, often limiting development even in areas with significant housing demand. By allowing controlled development under strict conditions, the golden rules challenge this historical approach and signal a shift toward prioritising practical solutions to the housing crisis. 

This framework acknowledges the reality that some parts of the Green Belt may not be as ecologically or socially valuable as others, creating opportunities to repurpose underutilised or degraded land for urgently needed housing.

This change is particularly transformative because it directly addresses the chronic shortage of affordable housing, a problem that has left many communities struggling with soaring rents and home prices. By requiring up to 50% affordable housing in new developments, the rules could significantly expand access to affordable homes, particularly in areas where development has been previously constrained.

Plus, the strategic focus on the inclusion of green spaces and infrastructure improvements as part of these developments ensures that housing growth will be accompanied by the necessary support systems, such as transportation, schools, and healthcare, creating sustainable and livable communities rather than isolated housing estates.

Of course, the Green Belt golden rules aren’t without their limitations.

The golden rules for Green Belt development aim to balance housing demands with environmental protection and community needs, but there are some downsides to consider. 

One of the primary challenges is the rigid affordability requirements for housing, which mandate a 50% affordable housing contribution in areas lacking pre-existing policies. While including a provision of affordable housing is a positive goal as we just mentioned above, it may create viability concerns for developers, particularly in areas where construction costs are high or market demand for affordable units is low. Developers might argue that these rules make some projects financially unfeasible, potentially deterring much-needed development in Green Belt or grey belt areas.

Another limitation is the broad focus on infrastructure improvements without clearly defined, measurable benchmarks. While developers are required to deliver infrastructure upgrades as part of their projects, the lack of standardised metrics for assessing these improvements leaves room for interpretation. For instance, what qualifies as an “improvement” or “accessible green space” may vary by region, potentially resulting in inconsistent implementation. 

Further, local planning authorities often face resource constraints, which could hinder their ability to monitor compliance with these rules and enforce meaningful contributions. This inconsistency risks undermining the intended benefits of the golden rules, particularly for communities that rely on robust infrastructure improvements to offset the impact of new developments. 

Lastly, the rules assume that local authorities and developers will work collaboratively to achieve balanced outcomes, but this may not always be the case. 

Tensions between environmental advocates, developers, and councils could delay planning approvals or lead to legal challenges, especially where there are disagreements over whether a development meets the criteria for infrastructure and green space enhancements. 

Combined with potential delays in updating local plans to align with the NPPF, these limitations highlight the need for clearer guidance and stronger accountability mechanisms to ensure the golden rules deliver their intended outcomes.

That brings us to the end of our examination of the three new Green Belt golden rules.

While there are some limitations at play, for the most part, these rules will hopefully balance the need for housing in the Green Belt while taking care of the environment and the community.  

If you’d like to learn more about the Green Belt, we’d encourage you to review our library of Green Belt blogs or alternatively, consider reading our 2024 book, ‘Green Light to Green Belt Developments,’ which covers all angles of the contentious policy.

Finally, if you're looking to secure planning permission on Green Belt land, our expert team is here to help. With over 13 years of experience across the UK, our architects and town planners specialise in navigating Green Belt regulations and successfully securing approvals. Get in touch - we’d love to discuss your project.