Green Belts: A critical environmental policy
Abstract
This paper evaluates the evolving role and growing importance of Green Belt policy in England, arguing that both the designation and the land it protects are now 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 how these areas provide essential functions: preventing urban sprawl, supporting nature recovery, offering public access to green space, and sustaining cultural landscapes. The paper highlights mounting pressures on Green Belt land, including housing demand, weakened planning controls, losses in farming capacity, and recently introduced ‘grey belt’ policy reforms. Drawing on recent evidence about development trends, public opinion, climate adaptation, and land management, the paper contends that Green Belt policy should be strengthened, not diluted. It sets out a series of recommendations, including reinstating strategic planning through Spatial Development Strategies, adopting a robust brownfield-first approach, prioritising environmental land management, and exploring opportunities to designate new Green Belts or expand National Landscape protections. It concludes that well-managed Green Belt and urban fringe land can play a pivotal role in sustainable regeneration, climate resilience, local food production, and equitable access to nature, provided policy is reoriented towards long-term environmental and social outcomes. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Paul Miner MA MRTPI FRGS, has worked for the Campaign to Protect Rural England since 2002 and since April 2022 as Head of Policy and Planning. This follows a long period of experience with national and strategic land use planning from an environmental perspective. Paul co-authored the reports ‘Green Belts: A Greener Future Jointly with Natural England’ in January 2010, and ‘From Wasted Space to Living Spaces’ with the University of the West of England (UWE) in November 2014. He also steered the production of the January 2020 Housing Design Audit for England, a major study of the quality of large new-build housing estates, produced jointly with the Bartlett School of Planning at University College London and Place Alliance. He served as Deputy Chair of Wildlife & Countryside Link from 2015 to 2018 and as Chair of Trustees at the Woodfield Project from 2022 to 2025, a community organisation operating in southwest London. Paul has a BA in politics from the University of Nottingham and an MA in town and country planning from UWE. He became a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute in 2008 and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 2010. Paul has a long track record of experience as a media spokesperson for CPRE and has frequently been quoted in both the established national media and built environment specialist media.
