Rape of the Green Belt

[nightshade]

A so called "Think Tank" stated that Wildlife does not live in the
between town green belts and so it is ok to build on them
This is the thin end of a wedge that could see wildlife disappear
in our lifetimes,they have no true conception of wildlife these
people they are politically motivated morons
These green areas are corridors that enable travel and food supply
can you really imagine the world in their heads

[Dogrose]

I live in a greenbelt, or rather a green corridor. Leeds has valleys running into the centre which are often parks and woodland, especially to the North of the city. It is absolutely dripping with wildlife, maybe not anything really rare but without looking too hard there are many birds- e.g. jays, woodpeckers, bullfinches, nuthatches, tawny owls, kestrels and sparrowhawks in abundance, and thats just directly round the house I live in. I think wildlife will colonise anyhwere suitable wherever it is and whatever size it is. Sounds like some people are feeling greedy.

[Tormentil]

"Green Belts" were never a wildlife conservation measure. Land included in the Green Belt must contribute to one or more of the five purposes of the Green Belt set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 2 (PPG2 Green Belts):

• To check the unrestricted sprawl of built-up areas.
• To safeguard the surrounding countryside from further encroachment.
• To prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another.
• To preserve the special character of historic towns.
• To assist in urban regeneration.

Green Belts were so called long before the word 'green' gained the wider use it has today.

[Gill Catton]

I think its also true to say that just because land is designated as green belt this does not mean that it is dripping in wildlife. Its just not that simple.

I have had the misfortune to be involved in development of a brownfield site and I wish with all my heart that they had used some rubbish agricultural land in the green belt instead.....

[Tinkerbell]

TV report this a.m. suggested that some of the 'greenbelt' was situated between current housing and major motorways. Spare a thought, therefore, for those who may find themselves being housed in properties right next to the motorways in future years, as is already the case for some folk. We often spot idyllic farms and cottages as we traverse the country from the M18, M42, M5 etc. until we realise that these properties are well within hearing and sight distance of these major roads and for those who live in them it is far from ideal.

Surely it's better to keep such greenbelt land free from further development to help protect humans from noise and breathing pollution, let alone disturbing wildlife in the process. Isn't that one of the reasons for its designation in the first place.

Tinkerbell