Green Belt is rural land around cities that is protected from excessive housing and other development, thus preventing urban sprawl. Around 13% 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. This survey aims to find out how people think we should use the Green Belt.
The maps below show, in shading, the Green Belt land around London. The Metropolitan Green Belt stretches over about 1,950 square miles - an area about 3 times the size of Greater London. Development may take place in one or two areas of Green Belt in the coming decades. Even if it does, most Green Belt land will remain undeveloped.
Green Belt around London (shown as diagonal shading). Click on image to enlarge.
Politicians and the public are becoming more interested in what we should use Green Belts for in the future. Most Green Belt land is classed as farmland. In practice, some of this farmland may actually be lying idle or used for grazing horses.
A small proportion (roughly 10%) of the Green Belt is covered by woodland or parkland. Two Community Forests and a number of country parks have been established to make the countryside around London more attractive and easier to enjoy. The Forests have a team of people that have worked to plant trees, provide green spaces, paths and trails for cycling and walking.
There is also a growing interest in where our food comes from, against a background of concern about global food supplies and interest in buying locally produced food. Some of the Green Belt land around London is very good quality farm land. If local communities show an interest in getting food from the Green Belt, this could do much to encourage landowners to grow food on their land more actively where they are not already doing so.
To have your say in protecting Green Belt land around London, click on one of the links below:
- Online Green Belt survey (London, 2009) for members of the public and community organisations.
- Online Green Belt survey (London, 2009) for land owners, land managers, professionals and local authorities.
