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Some have argued that development on Green Belt land will bring forward much needed homes to meet the current housing demand. Councils have also argued that loosening up the Green Belt is the only way to achieve more housing to meet the current housing needs. Green belts have been attacked for failing to meet their purposes by a range of vested interests, who’ve proposed a range of different ideas in response. Greenfield sites, including green belt, are increasingly favoured by developers as they are cheaper to exploit than brownfield sites which have much higher transaction costs. Proposals for the redevelopment of previously developed sites within the Green Belt may be permitted provided the proposed development would not have a greater impact than the existing development on the openness of the Green Belt or on the purposes of including land within the Green Belt. Urban sprawl is low-density development, outside city boundaries. It is unable to support local buses, jobs, shops and services. It relies on cars and increases energy use, pollution and traffic congestion. It increases transport costs and social isolation, leads to loss of countryside, destruction of agricultural land and wildlife habitat, and creates high-carbon, inefficient developments, with polluted air, traffic congestion, dangerous roads, and few if any opportunities for safe walking and cycling. International governments, regulatory bodies and the public have recognised the necessity to act and the market demands ever higher levels of environmentally and socially sustainable development. Sustainable architecture has been around for a while. This term is used often in the construction sector, but it hasn’t been able to make a breakthrough. However, even though this practice hasn’t entered the mainstream, there are good signs that this will happen in the near future.



The materials and space designed for green belt homes need to be reusable in the future. Sustainable architecture aims to create homes, buildings, and other structures that will last for a long time and be able to sustain themselves without wasting additional resources. That's where the name comes from. For many good reasons, green building is becoming increasingly common. With the shift in mind-sets today the idea of promoting sustainability and green building concepts have taken a front foot in the public's eye. Local Planning Authorities have to demonstrate that they have a 5 Year Housing Land Supply, based on sound national and local assessments of housing need over the next 20 years or so. If they are unable to do this, then in accordance with the NPPF they risk losing planning appeals, with the whole planning of their area reverting to ‘planning by appeal. This is a most unsatisfactory way to develop any local area and therefore coherent planning is the preferred solution. The development of small scale sites on the edge of existing settlements can represent a sustainable form of development that supports local services and reduces the need to travel. The inclusion of land for residential development on the edge of settlements can also represent an opportunity to 'round off' existing towns and villages within the rural area. Proposals should be of an appropriate scale and form that is proportionate to the size and character of the existing settlement. Following up on Green Belt Land effectively is needed in this day and age.

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Development provides an opportunity to improve the quality of remaining Green Belt land. Particular focus can be placed on improving environmental value, and improving public access to open space. The green belt constricts supply and forces up land and house prices. Cities that are heavily constrained by the green belt such as Oxford, London and Cambridge have some of the most unaffordable homes in the in the country. This denies decent homes to people on low- and middle-incomes and forces people into long commutes. Applications for Planning Permission on green belt land can be extremely complicated, and the submission quality is often a factor in obtaining elusive permission. Architects that specialise in the green belt are at the forefront of low energy sustainable building design and have implemented a wide range of green technologies such as solar, bio-fuel, self-contained waste systems and reed bed filtration systems. Acting as your planning agent, a green belt architect will survey the site, draw up plans, submit everything to the local council on your behalf and engage in communication with the case officer. You can involve them at the start of the process and let them handle everything, or use their expertise for specific tasks, such as carrying out a feasibility study. Research around New Forest National Park Planning remains patchy at times.

As we move towards a future where sustainability and rising energy prices play an increasingly important role in the design, development and construction of our built environment, the concept of Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) is gaining momentum in the architectural industry. Designers of homes for the green belt see a greater need for conserving resources and began developing new techniques like passive solar heating and smart grid technology. To truly achieve sustainability in design, we should use passive design measures as much as we can to address health and wellness related challenges, as we search for a balance between wellness and energy efficiency. A sustainable building is one where the structure and processes are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout the lifecycle of the building. That includes everything from design and construction, maintenance and renovation, right through to demolition. A green belt architect typically chooses to use environmentally-friendly building materials. The most desirable materials are those that are recycled or renewable, as well as those that require the least energy to manufacture. Can Net Zero Architect solve the problems that are inherent in this situation?

Securing New Development On Green Belt Land

The issue of Green Belt development is currently very topical and none more so than in and around London. A recent report ‘The Green Belt – A Place for Londoners?' issued by London First, Quod and SERC concluded that whilst much of London's Green Belt continues to play an important role it is not a “sacred cow”. The design of any new building in the green belt should seek to minimise its scale and bulk in order to reduce its impact upon the appearance of the surrounding landscape. Careful siting and location is critical. The important thing for green belt architects is to design a building to suit its location, not to use a misplaced perception of what a traditional building might be. An authentic modern building will have the spirit of a historic building with all the home comforts, materials, and textures but will be built to benefit from technologies that we have today. Building new homes must mean top priority being given to the creation of environmentally sustainable communities, the promotion of public health and wellbeing, the improvement of air quality and water quality, and the protection of wildlife and the balance of nature, as well as helping to meet the nation’s zero-carbon goals. When vetting green belt projects, some local councils prioritise high-quality design and ‘impact' rather than strict adherence to cubic volume; some councils are less prescriptive on outbuildings or extension sizes depending on the size of the plot, so local expertise is absolutely indispensable – otherwise applying is a bit of a shot in the dark. Highly considered strategies involving Architect London may end in unwanted appeals.

Green belt architects are well used to working with Planning Officers, Conservation Officers and English Heritage in order to negotiate the optimum solution for their clients. Green Belt boundaries should only be altered where exceptional circumstances are fully evidenced and justified, through the preparation or updating of plans. It is simply not acceptable for local authorities to be pressured by the Government and the Planning Inspectorate into giving permission to developers to concrete over so much of our Green Belt countryside and open spaces. There is ample brownfield land upon which to build new homes and when population growth is slowing markedly due to the drop in immigration since Brexit and the Covid epidemic and that people are having smaller families. Valued landscapes should be protected and enhanced; looking for net gains in biodiversity and establishing coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures, including wildlife corridors and stepping stones that connect them and areas identified by local partnerships for habitat restoration or creation. Green belts were designed to attempt to recognise each region's specificities and needs and forced development to be more considered. There's a huge amount to be said about Green Belt policy – but green belt architects want to make it accessible and relevant to their clients. My thoughts on Green Belt Planning Loopholes differ on a daily basis.

Experienced Planning Consultants

One of the most contested topics in London’s development strategy and with changes in decisions affecting all of London, it is apparent why the greenbelt needs further scrutiny and review. Do we need to reassess the building on the greenbelt to meet the needs of growing Londoners? Designing for the mental wellbeing of users and communities is especially important for buildings that are traditionally very functional in design. Wider strategic planning in the UK seems to have gone out the window, and there is no accepted strategic approach that encompasses both City and Countryside. New Towns and Garden Cities are back on the agenda. Stumble upon supplementary intel appertaining to Architects in this Wikipedia page.

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