Chorley Council contact government for more protection for grey belt land

The government have been contacted by Chorley Council to ask that they do more to protect grey belt land while the Central Lancashire Local Plan is being examined.

The National Planning Policy Framework allows for developers to submit speculative applications for land in the green belt designated as ‘grey belt’.

Grey belt is defined as land in the green belt comprising previously developed land or land that which does not strongly contribute to the purposes of the green belt.

Councillor Alex Hilton, Executive Member for Planning and Development at Chorley Council said:“Chorley Council’s Planning Department has received an unprecedented number of applications for speculative development within the designated green belt – in the ‘grey belt’ areas. This has resulted in the granting of several applications in the rural areas of Chorley, which would previously have been refused out of hand.

“We want to protect our beautiful countryside, villages, valuable farmland and the environment of Chorley, which is why we have written to the Minister to consider amending the Framework to allow green belt land to be secured.”