New Cheltenham Grey Belt Homes Granted Permission in Principle

SF Planning is pleased to confirm that Permission in Principle (PiP) has been granted for between one and four new homes on land in The Reddings, Cheltenham. This marks a significant milestone because Cheltenham Borough Council has historically resisted PiP applications for sites within the Cotswold Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation (SAC) zone of influence.

This approval is also one of the first decisions in the borough to apply the national Grey Belt policy introduced in the 2024 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The Local Planning Authority (LPA) agreed that the site qualifies as Grey Belt, which means development here would not strongly undermine the purposes of the wider Green Belt.

A New Approach to Green Belt Decision-Making

The updated NPPF allows residential development in the Green Belt if a site is classed as Grey Belt and key tests are met. In this case, the planning officer concluded that the site:

• does not strongly contribute to Green Belt purposes because of its relationship with surrounding built form
• is in a sustainable location with access to frequent public transport and nearby services
• supports housing delivery at a time of significant need, with Cheltenham’s housing supply at only 2.69 years and recent housing delivery at 65 percent of required levels

The Officer’s Report confirms that the proposal satisfies criteria (a), (b) and (c) of NPPF paragraph 155. As a result, the development is not considered inappropriate within the Grey Belt.

Delivering Much-Needed Housing in a Sustainable Location

The 0.43 hectare site sits next to Cheltenham’s Principal Urban Area, bordered on two sides by existing homes. The Council accepted that the land could accommodate new housing in principle, subject to detailed design at the next stage. It also recognised that development here would make a positive contribution to local housing supply.

Transport and environmental consultees raised no objections. The Technical Details Consent phase will address highways, drainage, and ecology matters.

Next Steps

The PiP approval represents the first stage of the consent process. SF Planning has established that the site is an acceptable location for new homes. The applicants can now move forward with plans for a detailed scheme.

For more information about this project for new Cheltenham Grey Belt homes, please contact Becky Brown.

Get in Touch

SF Planning provides frank and responsible advice and assistance on a variety of planning matters. Get in touch to see how we can help with your project.

e: info@sfplanning.co.uk

t: Cheltenham: 01242 231575 | Gloucester: 01452 527997 | London: 020 3763 8005

SF Planning – What we do