Housing Developers Smell Money - Green Belt Across Sheffield at Risk

Across the country, residents are campaigning against plans to build on green belt land. In 2024, the UK government implemented changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to loosen restrictions regarding development on green belt land. As a result, Sheffield City Council has proposed 14 green sites across Sheffield for development, which have been included in the Sheffield Local Plan. This Plan is currently under consultation, with hearings taking place throughout October and November.

However, if these plans are not approved, this opens the floodgates to put other green belt sites in Sheffield at risk. Developers are already eyeing opportunities and submitting proposals to build on other green belt sites in Sheffield.

Green Belt Sites in Sheffield at Risk

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes are targeting a site between Riggs High Road and Stannington Road in Stannington (S6) for 120 homes, arguing that it "does not contribute to green belt purposes". They also have a 21-acre green belt site in Grenoside (S35) in their sights, targeting the fields between Skew Hill Lane and Fox Hill Road for 200 homes.

David Wilson Homes propose to build on this section of land adjacent to Skew Hill Lane and Fox Hill Road, Grenoside

David Wilson Homes have also submitted a plan to double the size of Mosborough Village (S20) by building 1,200 homes on 210 acres of green belt fields in Mosborough, saying the lands is "suitable, deliverable, and available".

David Wilson Homes proposal for 1,200 homes on green belt in Mosborough, Sheffield

Spawforths submitted a proposal on behalf of Strata Homes as part of the Local Plan objection process stating that "Strata objects strongly that site S03050 was not identified for housing, especially as it scores more favourably than other proposed additional sites". The site in questions (S03050) is land off the bottom of Whitley Lane on the edge of Ecclesfield. They state that this green belt site could accommodate approximately 100 new homes.

Strata Homes propose to build around 100 homes on green belt off Whitley Lane in Ecclesfield, S35

Green Belt Sites Evaluated for Development by Sheffield City Council

The Skew Hill site (S35 8QW) proposed by David Wilson Homes and the Whitley Lane site proposed by Strata Homes were originally evaluated by Sheffield City Council for inclusion in the Local Plan and rejected. A number of sites in Mosborough were evaluated, including land to the west of Moss Way (S20 5AS), which is owned by Sheffield City Council and was shortlisted but not selected, land to the South West of Chapel Street (S20 5BT) and land between Quarry Hill and Plumbley Lane (S20 5BJ). You can look at the evaluations of 110 green belt sites in Sheffield here.

Brownfield First, Should Green Belt Be Built on Before all Brownfield Sites Have Been exhausted?

Chapeltown, Ecclesfield, and Grenoside Campaign Group produced a 101 page document proposing alternative brownfield sites across Sheffield, and argued at Sheffield Local Plan hearings in October that brownfield sites should be exhausted before any green belt sites are considered. On the eighth day of hearings hosted by planning inspectors, MP Clive Betts criticised the Local Plan and proposed ten alternative sites.

Green Belt Vs Grey Belt - How is Grey Belt Defined?

The NPPF defines grey belt as follows:

“For the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, ‘grey belt’ is defined as land in the Green Belt comprising previously developed land and/or any other land that, in either case, does not strongly contribute to any of purposes (a), (b), or (d) in paragraph 143. ‘Grey belt’ excludes land where the application of the policies relating to the areas or assets in footnote 7 (other than Green Belt) would provide a strong reason for refusing or restricting development.”

According to Paragraph 143 of the NPPF, green belt serves five purposes. Considering the above paragraph, green belt land should not be re-designated as 'grey belt' if it meets any of the three points marked in bold below (a, b, and d).

a. to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;

b. to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another;

c. to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;

d. to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns;

e. to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.