How to Obtain Planning Permission for a House in the Green Belt?
With the careful balance of both building new homes and maintaining our fragile ecosystem, it seems to be becoming ever harder to gain planning permission. However, there is a less-known part of the National Planning Policy Framework that can offer an opportunity to build the home of your dreams. We can help you demonstrate the energy efficiency and potential sustainability of your design as part of your application, giving you the best possible chance to get planning permission for your new home.
Paragraph 80 of the Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 80 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is a provision that allows for the construction of new isolated homes in the open countryside, subject to certain conditions. The policy was introduced in 1997, and it has been revised several times since then.
The key conditions that must be met in order to qualify for Paragraph 80 permission are that the design of the home must be "of exceptional quality", it must "significantly enhance its immediate setting", and it must "be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area".
The term "exceptional quality" is not defined in the NPPF, so it is ultimately up to the local planning authority to decide whether or not a particular design meets this standard. However, the NPPF does provide some guidance on what constitutes exceptional quality, including the following:
The design should be innovative and original.
The design should be well-proportioned and aesthetically pleasing.
The design should be sustainable and environmentally friendly.
The design should be in keeping with the local character of the area.
In addition to the requirements of exceptional quality, the design of the home must also significantly enhance its immediate setting and be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area. This means that the home should not detract from the natural beauty of the countryside, and it should be in harmony with the surrounding landscape.
Paragraph 80 is a relatively rare planning permission, and it is only granted in exceptional circumstances. However, it can be a valuable tool for landowners who want to build a new home in the countryside, and it can help to ensure that new homes are of a high standard of design.
The History of Paragraph 80
The origins of Paragraph 80 can be traced back to the 1970s, when the government began to introduce policies aimed at protecting the countryside from development. One of these policies was the "green belt", which is an area of land around major cities that is designated as being protected from development.
The green belt was successful in preventing urban sprawl, but it also made it difficult for people to build new homes in the countryside. This led to a growing demand for a policy that would allow for the construction of new homes in the countryside, but only if they were of a high standard of design.
In 1997, the government introduced Paragraph 80 as a way of meeting this demand. The policy was initially known as "Paragraph 79", but it was renamed "Paragraph 80" in 2012.
The Challenges of Paragraph 80
Paragraph 80 is a valuable planning permission, but it is also a challenging one. The requirements of exceptional quality, significant enhancement, and sensitivity to the local character can be difficult to meet, and the policy is often subject to lengthy and complex planning applications.
In addition, the policy has been criticized by some for being too subjective, and for giving too much power to local planning authorities. This has led to concerns that the policy is not being applied consistently, and that it is being used to justify the construction of homes that are not of exceptional quality.
The Future of Paragraph 80
The future of Paragraph 80 is uncertain. The policy has been criticized by some, but it is also supported by others. It is possible that the policy will be revised in the future, but it is also possible that it will remain in place.
Only time will tell what the future holds for Paragraph 80. However, one thing is for sure: the policy has played an important role in protecting the countryside from development, and it has also helped to ensure that new homes in the countryside are of a high standard of design.
How We Can Help
We can model your architect’s proposals in DesignPH, along with the surrounding buildings and individual trees to determine the potential heat loss of the building, heat gains through the windows, and how efficient any renewable energy sources might be on-site. We can make recommendations for design improvements early on to improve your property’s energy efficiency further and get you as close to or surpass net-zero energy. We will then create a short report to be presented as part of your planning application showing how the building should perform.
To find out more, please contact us today. We’ll be happy to help.
Photo by Daniel McCullough on Unsplash
