Green Belt review for North Yorkshire

The £150,000 study marks another step towards a spatial development strategy being adopted to match the devolution footprint of York and North Yorkshire.

Tender documents published in recent days describe a six-month project to run until 1 February next year, with an option to extend for another six months.

Three authorities are working jointly on the assessment of the Green Belts in their areas. These are North Yorkshire Council, City of York Council, and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Andy Kerr, director of economy at York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, said: “In December 2025 the government introduced the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. Under the Act, the Combined Authority now has a statutory responsibility to produce a Spatial Development Strategy for York and North Yorkshire.

“This is at a very early stage and is being prepared in collaboration with the Local Planning Authorities. As part of this, the Local Planning Authorities and Combined Authority are undertaking a joint evidence base for the Plan. The Green Belt Review is part of this evidence base.”

The tender notice said: “The assessment will provide evidence to support decision taking on planning applications and, if necessary, be used alongside further work to inform the preparation of Local Plans being produced by each council. At the appropriate point, the review will also feed into the production of a Spatial Development Strategy for the area, which is to be produced by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.”

Closing a consultation on combined authority planning powers earlier this year, the government said it wanted to see “strategic working which reflects the sensible geography criteria in the English Devolution White Paper published in December 2024.”

Fourteen combined authorities are expected to become strategic planning authorities, using an SDS that looks ahead at least 20 years.

The SDSs are designed to:

• Address housing need
• Provide infrastructure
• Grow the economy
• Improve environment and climate resilience

When he was elected in May 2024, Labour Mayor David Skaith suggested some release of land from the Green Belt may be necessary to meet housing need.

Last year’s Planning and Infrastructure Act placed a duty on combined authorities to prepare an SDS for their area.

The formal legislation for creating SDSs is expected to come into force this summer but combined authorities and upper-tier councils can prepare work now.

A Local Plan at council level must be in “general conformity” with a combined authority SDS, making the SDS effectively the ceiling policy for planning and development in the area.

Applicants have until 29 June to submit their bids.