A Surrey council is demanding the government reconsider its “grey belt” planning policy amid fears it could open up vast swathes of the area’s green belt to development.

Guildford Borough Council has adopted a motion urging ministers to rethink changes to planning rules that were designed to ignite a new boom in housebuilding across Britain.

Grey belt was a concept introduced to national planning guidelines in 2024, which allowed for land that “does not strongly contribute” to the green belt to be freed from tighter restrictions on development.

But analysis from Channel 4 News this summer found that as much as 96 percent of Guildford’s green belt could meet this definition – prompting fears from councillors and residents of a development “free-for-all” in the area.

Councillors now want a halt on grey belt rules until Guildford has had the chance to draw up its own local plan.

Introducing the motion, Cllr George Potter (Liberal Democrats: Burpham) said: “I’m sure none of us need it spelling out to us the government’s changes to the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) have had on our borough and our part of the world in recent years.”

The motion asked Guildford’s council leader to call on ministers to suspend grey belt rules for land separating villages and amend planning guidelines to protect these communities.

It also urged the council itself to “rapidly” work to develop its own local plan, a document that serves as the foundation for planning and development in a particular area.

Citing the 96 percent figure, Cllr Potter told his fellow members that the government’s changes had altered Guildford’s green belt “at the stroke of a pen”.

He said: “This motion is about sending a message as a council and calling on the government to reconsider their policy to suspend the grey belt rules until we have adopted a local plan.”

While saying that additional housebuilding in the borough is “desperately needed”, Cllr Potter added: “New development needs to be sustainable and to come with supporting infrastructure for both new and current residents.

“Opening up 96 percent of the green belt to potential development in uncontrolled free-for-all fashion is the worst possible way to provide new housing.”

Cllr Potter’s motion was broadly well received by Guildford councillors, with many echoing sentiments that current grey belt definitions risked harming the character of many Surrey villages.

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