The Green Belt

In the London area, the Metropolitan Green Belt is one of the most important and effective planning tools we have. For over 50 years, Green Belts have been a protective element for open land around cities. They have stopped cities sprawling into the surrounding countryside. They have also prevented urban areas merging together and losing their identity. They also strongly encourage urban regeneration and renewal. Now we see new possible threats to the policy itself.

The Government's draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) appears to us to give far less protection to London's Green Belt than PPG2, the current guidance. It is not just the fewer words - just over a thousand instead of approaching seven thousand - but the room for interpretation is much greater. A good example is the omission of the clear examples of "essential facilities for outdoor sport and recreation...", "small changing rooms or unobtrusive spectator accommodation...or small stables..." (PPG2 3.5). The guidance on Green Belts may have needed updating, but much more thought and discussion is needed if the Government's claims of protection are to be assured. The presumption for 'yes' to sustainable development could be argued to clash with the genuine and long term protection of the Green Belt. In London, we are also concerned about Metropolitan Open Land, sports fields, allotments and farmland which may not be protected, and the threat to the development of compact sustainable communities. These should be located close to public transport, services and jobs on previously used sites, instead of the excessive release of green field sites. CPRE London is supporting CPRE nationally in urging reconsideration and redrafting of this controversial and unnecessary upheaval of planning policy.

We have objected to a major threat to London's Green Belt at Copthall in Mill Hill, where Premier rugby club Saracens wish to enlarge a small community stadium to a capacity of 10,000, with a major new stand including shops, offices and a large hospitality area which could also be used for hospitality. New stands and other structures on site would be a major intrusion into the Green Belt. A particular aspect is the extensive effort and resources Saracens have put into trying to convince the local community to support their plans. These have included sending representatives door-to-door, publicity events in the main shopping street and at schools with leading players, and presentations in pubs around the borough of Barnet. The time and expense put into these initiatives strikes at the heart of localism. Thankfully, the public response so far has been lukewarm, and this has helped our cause. A previous attempt 13 years ago to develop a 10,000 seat football stadium and 1,000 seat athletics stadium on this site failed after a public inquiry. A revised application by Saracens is expected to go for consultation in the near future. We are monitoring this and other potential Green Belt threats closely.

This page last updated 10th November 2011.