‘Grey Belt’: What are the Opportunities for Caravan Parks?

The new Labour government will seek to assert their identity on the planning system in the coming months and has already introduced a relatively new concept to the planning and development lexicon. The much talked about term ‘Grey Belt’ has brought optimism to the wider development industry and landowners now eagerly await the implications of this designation within decision-making and how this will boost the planning prospects of Green Belt development sites.

The term Grey Belt is anticipated to cover existing physical or operational development located within a Green Belt designation, which will identify opportunities to release development sites, primarily for future housing. As the current position stands, there is a general presumption against any form of inappropriate development within the Green Belt unless very special circumstances exist.

What could this mean for sustainably located campsites, touring and static caravan sites located within the Green Belt?

There is an exciting opportunity for existing caravan parks within the Green Belt and located near to settlement limits to be considered as being suitable for permanent ‘bricks and mortar’ housing development. Many caravan parks already contain large areas of hardstanding and onsite services with infrastructure (classed as previously developed land) which would certainly make them a consideration under any new Grey Belt designation.

Such caravan parks usually have an agreed highway access in place and have an existing impact in terms of associated traffic generation. Indeed, many of these caravan parks are already deemed to be ‘sustainable’ in planning and land use terms.

What if I simply want to improve or expand my existing caravan site within the Green Belt?

The ‘Grey Belt’ designation could assist with such development proposals. Where previous planning applications or negotiations with Local Planning Authorities have been unsuccessful, future development schemes could be considered more favourably - for example, the exchange of touring caravans with static caravans or expansion of holiday parks.

The economic sustainability and local employment connected to established holiday parks has always been a strong argument in favour of development, so any scheme to improve the level of on-site services, facilities and accommodation within the Grey Belt may now be considered more acceptable.

At Savills we are already engaging with various national caravan park operators and individual clients with sites that lie within Green Belt designations, particularly where these are located near to, or on the outskirts of, established settlement boundaries.