The issues

The beautiful Green Belt around Stevenage is under threat from development plans. Photo: Campaign Against Stevenage Expansion

Green Belts are being nibbled away. When we lose open Green Belt land, we lose more than just a view, a potential recreation spot, an easy escape from the city or valuable farmland; we lose a sense of place.

Houses, roads, airports, universities, sports venues, parking lots and more are being built on Green Belt land. Over 800 hectares a year are disappearing under development, and with them the clear distinction between city and country or between two towns.

Green Belts are vitally important
Green Belts surround 88% of the population and have the potential to provide people with inspiring places to visit near to where they live and work.

With its close proximity to major urban areas, Green Belt land could be providing more local produce to reduce unnecessary food miles and develop more self sufficiency, food security and healthier diets. In a new survey, 79% of the public would like to see more trees planted and more locally grown food in the areas around towns and cities.

Green Belt reduces the heat island effect of major cities and can provide a cooling function across much wider areas.

Undeveloped land, both in the Green Belt and the wider countryside, plays a vital role helping to tackle the impacts of climate change. This role should be explicitly acknowledged in planning policy.