The government has been warned its housebuilding policies are being implemented in a “rushed and incoherent manner”.

A report of the House of Lords Built Environment committee found proposals to introduce a grey belt category of land within the green belt was unlikely to have a significant impact on housebuilding.

Chairman Lord Moylan said the committee did not believe it was likely to have any significant or lasting impact on planning decision making or helping the government achieve its target of building 1.5 million new homes within five years.

Lord Moylan made his comments at the end of the committee’s inquiry into the government’s policy.

He said: “In December the government published the final NPPF and the revisions it has made to the framework have now made the concept of grey belt land largely redundant as land will now be more likely to be released from the green belt through existing channels instead.

“The government also does not seem to have any plan to measure progress or determine the success of this policy. Effective policy must be evidence based and be able to demonstrate its efficacy. Sadly, this is not the case here.” 

The committee launched the inquiry into grey belt land last autumn.

Sheldon Bosley Knight’s associate director and head of planning and architecture Natasha Blackmore da Silva said it was important to dispel the myth it’s now carte blanche for development in the green belt.

She said: “The grey belt includes previously developed land, land with no biodiversity value or land on the edge of settlements that does not strongly contribute to the green belt’s main purposes, such as preventing urban sprawl or preserving the countryside.

“The aim of this policy is to help address housing shortages while maintaining key protected green spaces.

“However, I remain sceptical it will make a genuine difference to development and significantly contribute to the housing targets.”