Policy information sourced from the Reigate & Banstead Local Plan - Core Strategy

CS3 : Green Belt

  1. A robust and defensible Green Belt will be maintained to ensure that the coherence of the green fabric is protected and future growth is accommodated in a sustainable manner.
  2. Planning permission will not be granted for inappropriate development in the Green Belt unless very special circumstances clearly outweigh the potential harm to the Green Belt.
  3. In exceptional circumstances land may be removed from the Green Belt and allocated for development through the plan making process. Exceptional circumstances may exist where both (a) and (b) apply:
    1. There is an overriding need for the development in order to secure the delivery of the strategic objectives and policies of the Core Strategy, and either:
      1. The development proposed cannot be accommodated on land within the existing urban area or on land which is in the countryside beyond the Green Belt; or
      2. The development of land within the Green Belt would represent a significantly more sustainable option than (i).
    2. There is no or limited conflict with the purposes and integrity of the Green Belt.
  4. The Council will undertake a Green Belt review to inform the DMP and Policies Map. This review will include:
    1. Consideration of the purposes of the Green Belt to inform the identification of land for sustainable urban extensions within the broad areas of search identified in policy CS6
    2. Addressing existing boundary anomalies throughout the borough
    3. Reviewing washed over villages and areas of land inset within or currently beyond the Green Belt throughout the borough
    4. Ensuring clearly defined and readily recognisable boundaries which are likely to be permanent and are capable of enduring beyond the plan period.
  5. In accordance with (3) and (4) above and the provisions and considerations set out in policies CS6, CS10 and CS16, land required for development will be removed from the Green Belt and allocated through the DMP.
  6. Land may also be safeguarded through the DMP in order to provide options to meet development needs beyond the plan period. Safeguarded land will only be allocated through a subsequent local plan review and will be subject to Green Belt policy until such time.

This policy will be implemented through:

  • DMP policies to protect the Green Belt; DMP allocations of land for development, and safeguarding of land to meet longer term development needs, and associated amendments to Green Belt boundaries on the Policies Map
  • consideration and determination of planning applications and appeals.

Indicators used to monitor this policy will include:

  • development taking place within the Green Belt.

Evidence base:

  • Sustainable urban extensions: Broad Geographic Locations Technical Report.

For more information please see the Reigate & Banstead Core Strategy