What are the Golden Rules for Green Belt development?
Three contributions, all required, for major development involving housing in or released from the Green Belt. Affordable housing at the development plan requirement, or until such a policy exists the highest existing requirement plus 15 percentage points capped at 50%, with 50% by default where none applies. Plus necessary infrastructure improvements, and new or improved publicly accessible green space.
The affordable figure is not simply 50%
This is widely misreported. The requirement is the development plan figure where one has been set for Green Belt land. Until such a policy is in place it is the highest existing affordable requirement that would otherwise apply, plus 15 percentage points, subject to a cap of 50%.
The 50% figure applies by default only where there is no pre-existing requirement at all. So in an area with a 30% policy, the Green Belt figure is 45%, not 50%.
Green space has specific requirements
New residents should be able to reach good quality green space within a short walk, whether provided on site or through access to spaces off it. The provision should make a positive contribution to the landscape setting of the development, support nature recovery, and meet local standards where they exist.
Who is exempt
The Golden Rules do not apply to land released from the Green Belt through a plan adopted before 12 December 2024, to permissions granted on Green Belt land before that date, or to traveller sites.
They also only engage for major development, meaning 10 or more homes or a site of 0.5 hectares or more. Below that threshold they do not apply at all, which is a significant advantage for a small Green Belt scheme.
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Reflects the National Planning Policy Framework (2026), published 17 August 2026. This page last reviewed 18 August 2026. Read the framework.