The Green Belt Debate
3rd Mar 2010
Green belt land has long been the subject of much discussion since the publication of the 1947 Town and Country Planning Act, which allowed local authorities to designate green belt areas within their development plans.
Today, 14 green belts exist covering approximately 12 per cent of England’s land mass.
The primary aim of green belt policy is to prevent the sprawl of urban development by ensuring that land remains permanently open.
There are significant restrictions upon developing within the green belt, although certain development which maintains the open character of the land may be considered acceptable. There is continued debate over the future role of the green belt in light of pressure from developers and local residents and the requirement to meet increased housing demand.
A report, Green Belts-A Greener Future, has recently been published by the Campaign to Protect Rural England and Natural England.
The report encourages the production of local food, fuel and fibre, more well-managed places for recreation, more renewable energy production and protecting the open, rural character of the green belt, and argues it is of fundamental importance to actively manage green belt land.
However, a key recommendation in the Barker Review (2006), commissioned by the government, stated that “new development beyond towns and cities occurs in the most sustainable way, by encouraging planning bodies to review their green belt boundaries and take a more positive approach to applications that will enhance the quality of their green belts”.
The report also promoted a review of green belt boundaries to maintain their relevance and appropriateness so that planned development would occur in the most sustainable location.
The government’s planning white paper, published in 2007, explained that there would be no fundamental change to its national planning policy guidance for green belts (PPG 2) and that: “Decisions on green belt boundaries should be made through the development plan process as current policy allows.”
The Foresight Project report on Land Use Futures, sponsored by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Communities and Local Government, was published last month.
It found that whilst the UK has been relatively successful in containing the sprawl of urban development, market pressures and changing socio-economic conditions strongly identify a need to review the principles of managing development.
It is clear that the green belt is a widely debated topic, which is likely to be a major planning issue for the foreseeable future.
* Louise Oakley is a planning consultant with BHP Develop. She can be contacted on 0191-221 0898.
Author: Louise Oakley, Planning Consultant (LouiseO@bhpdevelop.co.uk)
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