Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the implementation of Grey Belt policy aligns with the settlement hierarchy set out in adopted local plans.

My Department published updated guidance on Green Belt policy on 27 February 2025 to assist local authorities and other decision-makers, including planning inspectors, in determining whether land is grey belt. It can be found on gov.uk here.

It is for decision-makers to consider how best to apply the policy to particular local circumstances.