Permission in Principle Approved by Thurrock Council for 4 Dwellings on Grey Belt Land
Permission in Principle secured from Thurrock Council for up to four dwellings on Green Belt site at Chadwell St Mary, Essex, successfully arguing the site qualifies as grey belt.
PERMISSION IN PRINCIPLETHURROCKESSEXPLANNING APPROVALS
Andrew Ransome
8/5/20262 min read
In 2026, I secured Permission in Principle from Thurrock Council for up to four residential dwellings on a site within the Metropolitan Green Belt at Chadwell St Mary in Essex.
The case turned on an analysis of the NPPF 2024's grey belt policy, a detailed assessment of the site's contribution to Green Belt purposes, and Thurrock's demonstrably critical housing land supply shortfall of just 1.02 years.
The Permission in Principle Case
The site comprised two existing structures — a former residential hostel and a smaller caretaker's building — on a plot of approximately 0.3 hectares at the junction of two major roads.
The site had a long and complex planning history, including multiple refused applications for change of use and residential development going back to 2010.
The C3 residential use of the caretaker's building had however been confirmed by Certificate of Lawful Use in 2017, and the site clearly represented previously developed land in a prominent and accessible location.
The central planning challenge was the Metropolitan Green Belt designation.
New buildings in the Green Belt are generally inappropriate development under the NPPF.
However, the NPPF 2024 introduced the concept of 'grey belt'. This is land in the Green Belt comprising previously developed land and/or land that does not strongly contribute to the Green Belt's core purposes under Paragraph 143.
Where a site qualifies as grey belt and the four conditions in Paragraph 155 are met, development is not inappropriate.
I undertook a systematic assessment of the site against the relevant Green Belt purposes.
Against Paragraph 155, I demonstrated: that the site utilised grey belt land without fundamentally undermining the remaining Green Belt; that there was a clear and demonstrable unmet need for housing. Thurrock's housing land supply stood at just 1.02 years as at April 2024, one of the lowest figures in the country.
Thurrock Council accepted the grey belt analysis and granted Permission in Principle.
Planning Application Advice
If you have a Green Belt site with existing buildings and want to understand whether it qualifies as grey belt under the NPPF 2024, I can provide a thorough assessment and advise on the most appropriate application strategy. Contact me to discuss your site.
Andrew Ransome MRTPI - Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
About me
Andrew Ransome is a Planning Director and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), with more than two decades of experience in town planning.
He specialises in delivering strategic planning solutions for complex developments across both rural and urban environments, helping clients navigate planning challenges and unlock development opportunities. Connect with Andrew on Linkedin.
Permission in Principle Successes
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Get in touch for planning advice: Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
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