Report urges wider role for Green Belt

Planning policy should be adapted so that Green Belt areas can take on a more significant role in providing an environmental resource for England’s population, a major study is proposing.

That prospect is highlighted in an assessment of the environmental state of Green Belt land and its benefits for people and wildlife jointly produced by Natural England and the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

Their report argues that better and more co-ordinated land management would help the Green Belt to deliver vital environmental services - from attractive landscapes, wildlife rich habitats, places for recreation, healthy soils, fresh water, woodland and improved air quality.

The two organisations say that recreational resources, production of local food, fuel and fibre, environmentally-sensitive land management and renewable energy production can all be increased, while protecting the Green Belt’s open, rural character.

They also propose that more should be done to maintain Green Belts as part of an ecological network between urban areas, the wider countryside, and nationally important landscapes and nature reserves.

“Linking the land designated as Green Belt to areas designated for their environmental importance, to urban green spaces and to the wider countryside can help form ecological networks and green recreation networks,” says the report.

Natural England’s chief executive, Helen Phillips, said: “By containing urban sprawl, the Green Belt has been a great success story of post-war planning. We need to look at ways in which it can expand on its success to date and play a full role in supporting England’s wider network of protected areas and open spaces. The Green Belt is an important environmental resource that, managed effectively, can help tackle climate change, support wildlife and provide health and leisure opportunities for millions to enjoy.”

The chief executive of CPRE, Shaun Spiers, said: “This report confirms that the countryside around our largest and most historic towns and cities is a vital, but fragile, environmental asset. We must continue to strengthen our Green Belts and make full use of the opportunities they provide to allow people to appreciate their local countryside. Where Green Belt land is underused, or in poor condition, the answer is to improve its quality, not to build on it.”

The report shows that some 30 million people live in or next to Green Belts which cover 13 per cent of the land surface of England.

Read the Natural England press release

Access the report

 

Roger Milne

4 February 2010