More Green Belt Statistics UK

The latest Green belt statistics from the DCLG tell us that on 31 March 2010 there was an estimated 1,639,560 hectares of designated Green Belt land in England. This amounts to about 13% of the total land area of England. The designated Green Belt area of England in March 2009 has been revised and the estimation is now 1,639,650 hectares which amounts to an increase of 810 hectares on the estimate published by DCLG in April 2009. The difference is due to the correcting, improving of measurements of local authorities using digitised data from geographical information systems as opposed to paper maps and Positional Accuracy improvements by the Ordnance Survey. The Comprehensive Spending Review resulted in Departmental Strategic Objectives on Planning which relate to net change in the national area of Green Belt land. The indicator used for this is sustaining the level of Green Belt nationally measured regionally. There has been a net real decreas decrease of 80 hectares between April 2009 and March 2010. The difference is due to new plans being adopted in South Cambridgeshire (70 hectares) and the Mole Valley (10 hectares).

Green Belt policy comprises five purposes for including land in designated Green Belt areas. They are to check urban sprawl, to prevent the merging of neighbouring towns, the safeguard the countryside from encroachment, the preservation of the setting and character of historic towns and to help urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land. Green Belt land once identified can then provide the urban population with opportunities of access to the open countryside and outdoor sport and leisure, the retention and enhancement of landscapes near inhabited areas, improvement of damaged and derelict land, nature conservation and the retaining of land in agricultural, forestry and other related uses.