Grey Belt Opportunity at Hockley Heath – Cross-Boundary Permission in Principle Application
- TP Editorial Team
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Tyler Parkes has obtained a Permission in Principle decision for two self-build/custom-build homes on land to the rear of Stratford Road, Hockley Heath.
The application is unusual in that the site crosses the administrative boundary between Warwick District and Solihull Metropolitan Borough. The larger part of the site, including the proposed dwellings, lies within Warwick District, while the existing access from Stratford Road lies within Solihull. Separate submissions were therefore required to the two authorities.
The 0.32-hectare site immediately adjoins the existing settlement. It is bounded by the bowling green to the north, the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal to the east and existing residential development to the west. Access would be taken from an established private drive serving the existing properties on Stratford Road.
Although the land lies within the Green Belt, our case is that it meets the National Planning Policy Framework definition of Grey Belt.
In particular, the site does not strongly contribute to Green Belt purposes relating to preventing the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas, preventing neighbouring towns from merging, or preserving the setting and special character of historic towns. Its contribution to safeguarding the countryside from encroachment is also considered limited because of the site's contained relationship with the existing built form of Hockley Heath.
The proposal is deliberately modest: just two individually designed self/custom-build homes. The indicative scheme, prepared by Roy Yates Architectural Consultant, demonstrates how substantial, high-quality homes can be accommodated while retaining generous plots, landscaping and the established green boundaries alongside the canal.
Permission in Principle is particularly useful for sites of this nature because the first stage concentrates on three fundamental matters: location, land use and amount of development. Detailed design and other technical matters can then be considered through a subsequent Technical Details Consent application.
The application also illustrates the potential significance of recent national planning policy changes for land around established settlements. Sites that may previously have been regarded simply as Green Belt now require a more detailed assessment of the contribution they actually make to Green Belt purposes.
For landowners, that means it can be worthwhile reviewing smaller parcels of Green Belt land that are well related to existing development, physically contained by established boundaries and close to existing services and transport.
Not every Green Belt site will qualify as Grey Belt, and designation alone does not guarantee planning permission. However, the policy changes have created a potentially important route for carefully selected sites which merit fresh assessment.
Tyler Parkes provides planning, architectural and masterplanning advice throughout the Midlands, including the assessment of potential Grey Belt and small housing sites.
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