Green Belt is rural land around cities that is protected from excessive housing and other development, thus preventing urban sprawl. Around 13 per cent of land in England is estimated to be in one of the fourteen Green Belt areas. The land is protected by planning and development policies. 
During spring and early summer 2009, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) commissioned Sustain to undertake a survey, which aimed to find out how people think we should use the Green Belt. The survey focuses on three areas - London, Bristol and Merseyside.
The results of the survey, and associated policy recommendations, are available on the CPRE website.
Through this survey CPRE aimed to:
- Find out opinions about the most important future uses of the Green Belt.
- Discover what a range of people in large towns and cities feel is the main benefit of having countryside next to where they live.
- Raise awareness of the issue of litter and fly-tipping in Green Belt areas (dumping large items such as rubble or sofas in rural areas) and find out what people might be prepared to do to stop it.
Find out more about CPRE's work to protect precious Green Belt land at: http://www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/planning/green-belts
