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Crematoriums: Green Belt

Asked by Mr Joshua ReynoldsLiberal DemocratMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 15 January 2026UIN 104065

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to review the legality of developing crematoria on Green Belt land; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the current planning framework governing such developments.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook

The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making.

Proposed Green Belt policy is set out in Chapter 13 of the consultation which can be found on gov.uk here.

A proposal to build a crematorium would be assessed by the relevant local planning authority in the light of all material considerations, including the NPPF, relevant development plan policies and any specific land-use impacts associated with the proposal.

The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

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