Abstract
In 1947 the first post-war Labour Government enacted the Town and Country Planning Act, which really enabled local planning authorities to establish green belts around the major cities. The Ministry prepared the map of a green belt around London based upon the plan of Abercrombie, for the guidance of local planning authorities.
Conservative Minister Mr. Sandys showed an enthusiasm in the green belt policy and asked all local authorities concerned to consider the establishment of clearly defined green belts where they thought appropriate.
Between 1954 and 1958 the development plans for the counties around London were approved, and the green belt which they contained became a reality. Provincial green belts are at various stages in the procedure for the establishment. In 1969 the green belts in England that had received at least approval in principle covered 14, 787.6 square kilometers and occupied 96 per cent of the country.
A Royal Commission, under Sir Herbert, recommended the area of the Greater London Council delimited mainly by the inner edge of the Metropolitan Green Belt.
The green belt areas are those where development control operates more strictly. Green Belt around London has therefore maintained its rural appearance.
The first official definitions of green belt seemed to have been made with the effect of the belt focussed upon the town or city, but according to the changes. of the society, green belt has ur_c ErgDne many changes in concept to embrace the amenity, recreational aims and so on.
Successive Ministers of Housing and Local Government had affirmed their intention to maintain the green belt policy and the policy as a whole has the support of many different sections of the public.
The Green Belt Policy in England, as I assume, will be maintained forever if nothing unexpected intervenes.
