Plans for 149 homes on green belt land have been approved despite residents questioning if there was “nowhere else more suitable”, including due to the risk posed by old mine shafts. This prompted concerns from residents living nearby, among other fears such as the impact on local services and roads. However, the Coal Authority raised no objection to the development and suggested that intrusive ground investigations are undertaken before the submission of more detailed plans, including the development’s layout. The outline permission has been granted after the council consulted with the Government’s Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government because the proposal is classed as “inappropriate development in the green belt”. The site, while traditionally green belt land, is today designated as grey belt land, which includes areas of the protected green belt that are considered “low quality”.