Green belts: More than lines on a map

28 January 2010

The first major survey of the environmental state of Green Belt land and the benefits it provides for people and wildlife is published today in Green Belts: a Greener Future - a joint report produced by Natural England and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

Helen Phillips, Natural England's chief executive, 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."

Shaun Spiers, chief executive of CPRE, 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."

30 million people live in or next to Green Belts which cover 13% of the land surface of England. The new research presented in this report - and set out in the accompanying factsheets 'Green Belts in England' (3) - indicates that Green Belts:

• Have been effective in protecting the countryside from urban sprawl. The rate of development on the edge of towns and cities in Green Belts is at least one third lower than in comparable non-Green Belt areas (4);
• Provide a valuable resource for people to exercise and enjoy peace and quiet, having 44% of England’s country parks, and on average 20% more public rights of way than the national average (5);
• Maintain a large area of distinctive, rural landscape within easy access of our largest towns and cities - 95% of the public living in the Green Belt value these landscapes for their beauty and 58% of England’s population have visited the Green Belt for leisure in the 12 months;
• Contain more than 260,000 hectares of high quality agricultural land (6) and have the potential to be an important source of locally-grown food (7);
• Contain 33% of England’s local nature reserves and are of great importance in enabling people to connect with wildlife and the natural environment;
• But the character of many Green Belt landscapes has continued to change in recent decades (8) and the Green Belt of the 21st century faces a number of challenges, including pressure from development and rising population.

Green Belts: a Greener Future highlights the need for positive land management to ensure that this extraordinary resource delivers wider benefits for the natural environment and for the millions of people who live in and around the Green Belt. A number of actions would help to achieve this:

1. Recognise and protect the Green Belt. While enforcement of existing planning policy to restrict new development is central to the Green Belt’s future, the Green Belt needs to be viewed as much more than a planning designation and a focus on active management of the land is vitally important. 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.

2. Invest in and improve the Green Belt. 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.

3. Connect and network the Green Belt. More can 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 – helping to tackle the challenges of a changing climate and improving our health.

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