PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY 5 DECEMBER 2006
RECLAIM GREEN BELTS AS ‘ECO-BELTS’
BUT NO NUCLEAR DIKTATS, SAY PLANNING CAMPAIGNERS
Government must not
exclude public debate or reach for quick fix diktats to speed up decisions on
new nuclear power stations, the Town and Country Planning
Association warned today, in response to Kate Barker’s major report on land use
planning.
Responding to the proposal to establish an independent planning
commission, the TCPA cautioned that Government must ensure decisions are made
openly, after proper public scrutiny, and in accordance with clear sustainable
development objectives.
However, broad
reforms proposed for retail, transport and greenbelt land were welcomed by the independent
charity, which campaigns for sustainable development through planning.
TCPA Chief Executive Gideon Amos said:
“We are delighted
that Kate Barker has reinforced our calls for a national
planning framework to support the development of major infrastructure in a
sustainable way which boosts regional development.
“However, Government must resist the temptation to
reach for an illusory quick fix or try to stifle proper scrutiny of
developments that will have serious environmental, social and economic impacts.
Communities on the ground will be affected and cannot be ignored.”
“The question is whether ministers will be happy for such
sensitive decisions to be taken by an unelected body?"
Poor quality green belt land should be reclaimed to create ‘eco-belts’
ensuring land around towns is used for ecological and sustainable projects such
as new community woodland and wind farms, the TCPA said. In its policy
statement on green belts, the charity has reinforced the
ongoing importance of green belts in preventing urban sprawl, but calls for
sustainable homes and other development to be allowed where appropriate.
Green
belt land - often neglected scrubland with no discernible environmental or
social value – should be reclaimed for environmental projects such as the
creation of wildlife habitats, organic gardens for local markets, or small
scale power generation to supply heat and power through district heating
schemes, the charity said.
The TCPA
was the first organization to call for permanent rural or green belts back in
1919 and continues to campaign for them to play a positive role stopping sprawl
and providing a backdrop for towns and cities.
Gideon
Amos added:
“Too much green belt has now become a
derelict wasteland of rubbish dumps and abandoned buildings – it’s time to turn
green belts into eco-belts fulfilling a whole range of functions that will
support a more sustainable way of living for people and the environment.
Instead of being treated as a derelict buffer zone between town and country,
the emphasis should be on making this land truly green and pleasant.
”Local communities should have better
access to this hugely important amenity for recreation, local food production
and wildlife habitat."
The TCPA particularly welcomes the continued protection of town centres
from supermarket sprawl. Kate Barker also reinforces the TCPA’s call for local
authority planning chiefs to have their leading role enshrined in law.
The Barker review specifically identifies the TCPA as one of the key organisations
to take forward the recommendations.
- Ends -
Notes to Editors
- The Town
and Country Planning Association (TCPA)
is an independent campaigning charity calling for more integrated planning
based on the principles of accessibility, sustainability, diversity, and
community cohesion. The TCPA puts social justice
and the environment at the heart of the debate about planning policy,
housing and energy supply. We inspire government, industry and campaigners
to take a fresh perspective on major issues including climate change and
regeneration. Media contact Kirsten Gogan 0207930 8903 kirsten@tcpa.org.uk
- The latest TCPA Policy Statements are available on the TCPA
web site: http://www.tcpa.org.uk/campaigns.htm
- The TCPA are calling for a more flexible and
holistic approach to green belts - taking account of the quality of the
surrounding countryside, the scope for development of brownfield land
within the urban area itself, the capacity of the existing transport
infrastructure, and any local affordable housing, or economic development
needs.
- The TCPA also states that policies to promote
sustainable land management with mixed organic farming and community
woodlands should allow, where appropriate, small scale, low-impact,
live-work units for those engaging in local food production, woodland
crafts, and other land-based activities.
- Commenting on the debate about the loss of green
belt in some areas, the TCPA highlighted how green wedges can help link town
and country as well as prevent urban sprawl. Rather than have a 'belt' of
green space these wedges can be made more integral to the urban fabric yet
adopt a similar role to the original green belts. The loss of green belt in one place
could then be made up for elsewhere, in a 'wedge' which is more accessible
to local people, absorbs pollution and reduces flood risk.
- In addition, the government should reinforce the
positive land use role of green belts (envisaged in PPG2 paragraph 1.6) so
that, in return for green belt status, local planning policies make
specific provision for countryside access; sport and outdoor recreation;
landscape protection and enhancement; the reparation of damaged and
derelict land; nature conservation; and farming and forestry and related
uses.
- 1919 to 1955 -
Green Belt history Originally rural
belts emerged as part of the vision for Garden Cities at the end of the
nineteenth century and the TCPA’s Annual Report of 1919 included a
statement from the Executive calling for towns to be “surrounded by a
rural belt”.
- The Association continued campaigning
for green belts throughout both world wars for example the 19th
June 1937 issue of Town & Country Planning Journal published a new
policy statement calling for towns to be “surrounded by a permanent
country belt”.
- In 1944 TCPA Council member and Vice
President Sir Patrick Abercrombie first put Green Belts into planning
practice in his Greater London Plan of 1944 for Herbert Morrison the
Leader of the London County Council. Abercrombie was also the founder of Council
for the Preservation of Rural England.
- In 1955 the Minister for
Housing and Local Government, Duncan Sandys, issued the first Government
policy on Green Belts that urged all local authorities to protect any land
acquired around their towns and cities "by the formal designation of
clearly defined Green Belts," the statement was warmly welcomed
by the Association. The circular set out the aims of Green Belt policy as
"checking the unrestricted sprawl of the built-up areas, and of
safeguarding the surrounding countryside against further
encroachment". See Ministry of Housing and Local Government Green Belt Circular 42/55. The
Circular marks the first acknowledgement from the Government that the
primary purpose of Green Belts is to halt urban sprawl and protect the
countryside. Most importantly, Green Belts were always seen as
complementing the need for well-planned towns and cities both new and
existing. See also Hardy, D (1991) “From Garden Cities to New Towns”
E&FN Spon,
- Case study