Green Belts: A critical environmental policy

Urban Farm DB summary

This paper evaluates the evolving role of Green Belt policy in England, arguing that both the designation and the land it protects are increasingly critical to addressing environmental, climate and public health challenges. It defines the extent and characteristics of Green Belt and other "countryside around towns" land, showing that these areas prevent urban sprawl, support nature recovery, provide public access to green space and sustain cultural landscapes, while highlighting mounting pressures including housing demand, weakened planning controls, losses in farming capacity and newly introduced "grey belt" policy reforms, and recommending measures such as reinstating strategic planning through Spatial Development Strategies, adopting a brownfield-first approach, prioritising environmental land management, and considering new Green Belt designations or expanded National Landscape protections.