A network of 'green wedges, gaps and corridors' is the way forward for development and green belt policy, says report

Natural England, the Government's statutory advisor on landscape, has assessed the case for a review of green belt policy as part of a fresh approach to greening new development. The Government is seeking a major expansion in house building for social and economic reasons, with around 3 million new homes planned. Natural England’s role is to advise on the implications of this for the natural environment, taking into account the impact of a changing climate, whilst ensuring that everybody has access to high-quality green space.

Natural England's Board agreed on the need for a housing policy that puts green space at the heart of all new development - see Natural England’s pre-scoping paper Housing growth and green infrastructure.

Sir Martin Doughty, Natural England’s Chair, said: ‘The time has come for a greener green belt. We need a 21st century solution to England's housing needs which puts in place a network of green wedges, gaps and corridors, linking the natural environment and people.’

England’s 14 green belts surround major urban conurbations and cover 13 per cent of the country. They were established in the 1950s to contain urban sprawl. Since then there has been little environmental improvement in the quality of these areas. They contain much land that is neglected or of poor environmental quality.

The board of Natural England proposes that the following principles are adopted:

• England’s towns and cities are ‘greened’ by putting green spaces at the heart of all new development.
• The most sustainable solution of where to locate new housing is sought including a review of the role of the green belt, taking into account quality of life, nature conservation, landscape protection, flood mitigation and the impact of a changing climate.
• The land in and around England’s 14 green belts is ‘greened’. England’s green belts cover 13 per cent of the country - 1.65 million hectares, or an area bigger than all of England’s National Parks combined – and is currently often neglected or of poor environmental quality.

Natural England's board met to discuss the idea, which it described as 'a mature examination of green belt principles' to see if and how they can 'evolve to fit twenty-first century circumstances'.

The body insisted that any review of green belt policy would not be done in a way that will provoke accusations of ‘concreting over the countryside’.

It would be part of a fresh approach to greening new development and improving underused or neglected green belt land.

Natural England chair Sir Martin Doughty said: ‘We need a solution to England's housing needs which puts in place a network of green wedges, gaps and corridors.’

A RTPI spokesman said: ‘Natural England is putting forward a case the RTPI has been making for many years. Evidence clearly shows we must review the blunt tool that is the green belt.’