Green Belt Assessment
NPPF Section 13 — Openness, Harm & Very Special Circumstances Analysis
Development Details
Five Purposes of Green Belt
Rate the impact of the development on each purpose. Impact rating: No Impact (0) to Significant (3).
Purpose 1: Unrestricted Sprawl
Purpose 2: Merging of Towns
Purpose 3: Safeguarding Countryside
Purpose 4: Setting of Historic Towns
Purpose 5: Urban Regeneration
Openness Assessment
Select factors that affect Green Belt openness. Each factor contributes 2 points.
Very Special Circumstances (VSC)
If development is inappropriate, identify potential VSC. Each factor contributes 3 points. Minimum 15 points recommended to outweigh harm.
Development Classification
Harm to Green Belt Purposes
Openness Impact Assessment
Very Special Circumstances Analysis
Overall Assessment
NPPF Policy References
NPPF GB6: Openness is essential to the Green Belt role and purpose. The matter is judged on a case-by-case basis.
NPPF GB6: Except where the policies indicate otherwise, permission should not normally be granted for the construction of new buildings in Green Belts.
NPPF GB7: A number of forms of development are not considered inappropriate in the Green Belt provided they preserve openness and do not conflict with the purposes of including land in Green Belts.
NPPF GB6: When considering any planning application, local planning authorities should ensure that substantial weight is given to any harm to the Green Belt.
Key Recommendations
About this tool: Green Belt
NPPF Green Belt test (policies GB1-GB8) — five purposes of Green Belt, openness assessment, Very Special Circumstances test, and Grey Belt analysis.
Use when your site is in the Green Belt. Development is "inappropriate" unless it falls within specific exceptions. Grey Belt is a new NPPF category.
NPPF Green Belt policies GB1-GB8
Use these tools to determine whether you need planning permission and which type of application to submit. Getting the consent route wrong wastes time and money. Check PD rights first, then consider whether prior approval or full planning is the better option.
Guidance to help you prepare — not formal planning advice. Check the current policy text and your council's local plan before relying on it.