Time to review Green Belt to help tackle housing crisis
London boroughs should review their Green Belt boundaries and consider new sites for housing, says a study launched today by Quod, with London First and SERC.
The report finds:
- 27.6% of London is covered by buildings, roads, paths, and railways;
- 22% of all the land within London’s boundary is greenbelt;
- The total volume of land classed as ‘green’ in London outstrips that land that is built on by a ratio of more than 2:1 (64.9% vs 27.6%);
And looking at the Green Belt within London:
- 22% of London’s Green Belt is made up of environmentally protected land, parks, and public access land;
- 59% of London’s Green Belt is used for agriculture
- 7.1% is golf courses – more than double the area of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Green Belt within London includes some valuable wildlife sites, and areas that are important for recreation. But is not intended to be an environmental or amenity designation, and it also includes lots of poor quality land with no public access. A sensible review could continue to protect what is good about the Green Belt, while releasing a small proportion of the rest to help meet the need for homes for London’s rapidly-growing population.
To download your copy of the report just click here.
If you require any help or further information please do get in touch with your usual Quod contact, alternatively call Barney Stringer on 020 3597 1005 or email him a.
