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According to planning and development consultancy Lichfields, the new Labour government needs to take back land designated as Major Development Sites (MDS).
Prior to 2012, the site was marked as MDS, meaning the green belt site could be developed for a range of uses, including leisure and tourism with theme parks and other major attractions, education, health facilities, business parks and transport infrastructure.
The 2012 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) removed major development sites and since then many Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) have adopted a one-size-fits-all approach.
Ian York, planning director at Lichfields, said: “Central government has a vital role to play.
“The new Labour government’s commitment to updating the NPPF within its first 100 days in power creates a significant opportunity to reintroduce policy guidance similar to the previous MDS framework.”
“This will provide much-needed clarity and support for both LPAs and developers.”
The research found that of 180 LPAs with Green Belt land, only one-third have bespoke standards-based policies, with two-thirds defaulting to the general NPPF guidelines.
This local policy climate means that owners and operators of theme parks, leisure venues, and other facilities that need to continually update and refresh their attractions and accommodation to remain attractive and competitive to visitors have less uncertainty when planning for the future of their facilities.
Furthermore, there are regional disparities in policy approaches, with the North West of England relying most heavily on generic NPPF-based Green Belt policies and the South East of England leading the way with bespoke policies.
Mr York added: “Our research shows that the vast majority of LPAs have general policies that reiterate national guidelines.
“We need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and adopt locally tailored policies that recognise the unique characteristics of these places.”
“The report urges the LPA to work with landowners and operators to develop detailed policies that clearly define development parameters to allow these sites to thrive without compromising the integrity of the Green Belt.”