SLR have revealed a new web application designed to help identify areas that can contribute to the ‘grey belt’ for construction projects
SLR’s grey belt application is designed to be a visual aid for developers, local authorities, and residents to use in identifying grey belt areas.
The SLR grey belt app uses ‘on-the-fly’ analytics, which allows users to use filters and get more detailed overviews of different regions.
They grey belt is still relatively undefined
As of writing, the government’s definition of the grey belt is unclear. The SLR grey belt app aims to tackle this, by not only attempting to make it more clear to users, but by also allowing the app itself to be easily updated as and when the government makes announcements regarding the grey belt.
The current definitions imply land that have been developed or disturbed previously, such as car parks, warehouses, old shopping units, etc.
The app is used for people to look at areas using a top down view.
SLR commented on their new app
Nick Billington, principal planner at SLR Consulting, said: “The government’s suggested review of the green belt and the introduction of the concept of the ‘grey belt’ is long overdue and recognises the important distinction that not all green belt is truly green.
“The new tool released today, looking at the potential opportunities arising in the county of Surrey, provides interesting insights into what grey belt may mean in practice using just one county as an example. It illustrates some interesting opportunities, but also highlights those other important constraints like National Landscapes (formerly AONB) and ecological constraints, like Surrey’s SPA designations. Releasing suitable green belt land for housing development could unlock opportunities for sustainable, well-planned communities, but must be undertaken in conjunction with wider updates to national planning policy in order to deliver the development and homes the country critically needs.”
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