SME Developers & the Grey Belt: Two Game-Changers for Solving the Housing Crisis
Inside Property DevelopmentShow Notes
In this episode Paul takes a deep dive into the government’s emerging “Grey Belt” concept — and whether it could be the planning breakthrough needed to ease the UK housing crisis.
Drawing on over 40 years in the housebuilding industry, Paul explains what Grey Belt land is likely to mean in practice, how it differs from traditional Green Belt, and why the viability of sites will be the make-or-break factor. You’ll hear real-world examples, policy insights, and practical tips on how developers — especially SMEs — can identify and approach these sites.
If you’re serious about development opportunities in a changing planning landscape, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The “Grey Belt” will likely refer to poor-quality or previously developed Green Belt land, often with existing buildings or dereliction.
Public perception of the Green Belt is often romanticised — not all of it is pristine countryside.
Proximity to existing settlements and sustainable transport links will be critical for planning approval.
Viability is the key issue — high affordable housing requirements could stall many potential sites.
Tools like LandTech’s Land Insight can help identify likely Grey Belt opportunities.
The policy could open up new sites for development — but it won’t solve the housing crisis alone.
BEST MOMENTS
“There shouldn’t be any sides in this — we should all be working together to create good housing and places.”
“Not all Green Belt is beautiful fields and forests — some of it is derelict and crying out for redevelopment.”
“The million-dollar question is: how messy does a Green Belt site need to be before it’s classed as Grey Belt?”
“If viability isn’t handled sensibly, very few of these sites will ever be developed.”
HOST BIO
Paul Higgs is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor with 40+ years' experience in land, planning and development and a 100% success track record in winning planning consents.
Paul undertook his first refurb project when he was just 17 and then worked his way up from labouring on building sites to becoming Head of Land for renowned plc housebuilder, Barratt Developments. He managed to escape the corporate world in 2002 to set up what is now a multimillion-pound award-winning property development company, Millbank Group.
In 2013 Paul founded the Millbank Land Academy, the UK’s first training company dedicated to property development; to teach established and aspiring developers the insider secrets the big housebuilders don’t want you to know!
Paul is also a founding investor and former board director of the industry-leading PropTech Co, LandTech, and has lectured on Advanced Development Valuations on the MSc Property Development at London South Bank University.
CONTACT METHOD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-higgs
Millbank Land Academy: https://www.millbanklandacademy.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulhiggsofficial
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@InsidePropertyDevelopment
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