Green Belt, Brownfield and Agricultural Land
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out how the Green Belt serves five purposes: to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas; to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another; to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.
To ease pressure on the Green Belt, the NPPF states that Plans should make as much use as possible of suitable brownfield sites and underutilised land; and optimise the density of development, particularly in town centres and other locations well-served by public transport. Brownfield land includes previously developed land.
The NPPF states that where significant development of agricultural land is necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of higher quality. The agricultural land classification identifies the best and most versatile (BMV) agricultural land as classes 1, 2 or 3a.
Green Belt, Brownfield & Agricultural Land Headlines
The percentage of land within the Green Belt in Runnymede is 74%.
The average density of development achieved between 2020/21 and 2023/24 was 54dph (above the 30dph target of the 2030 Local Plan).
Agricultural land in Runnymede is predominantly graded 4 or 5, with a limited amount of land graded 1-3a.
In Runnymede, here are:
- permissioned’ brownfield sites
- not permissioned’ brownfield sites
- brownfield sites with ‘decision pending’ status.
What does this mean for the Local Plan?
The new Local Plan will need to plan for the housing needs of a growing population which may place additional pressure on Runnymede’s Green Belt. As far as it is able to do so, and without repeating national decision-making policies (NDMPs) the new Local Plan should retain, strengthen and/or implement policies/actions which prioritise the development of previously developed and underutilised land, makes effective use of land, promotes mixed use development, protects the most valuable agricultural land and seeks opportunities for remediating/mitigating despoiled, degraded, derelict, contaminated and unstable land.
Sources of further baseline information:
Detailed baseline information, an analysis of existing conditions and future trends, and how this information will inform the new Local Plan, can be found in Chater 5 of the SA Scoping Report:
Sources of other useful information:
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