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| How and where did UK lose city-sized area of green space in just six years? | How and where did UK lose city-sized area of green space in just six years? |
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| The UK’s spreading cities are relentlessly eating up the country’s green spaces, according to new research, and experts and campaigners believe government planning reforms will aggravate the loss. | The UK’s spreading cities are relentlessly eating up the country’s green spaces, according to new research, and experts and campaigners believe government planning reforms will aggravate the loss. |
| A satellite survey by a research team at the University of Leicester (UofL) found that between 2006 and 2012, 22,000 hectares (54,ooo acres) of green space was converted to “artificial surfaces” – mostly housing. More than 7,000 hectares of forest was felled, 14,000 hectares of farmland concreted and 1,000 hectares of precious wetland was drained to make way for urban sprawl. That’s a landscape twice the size of Liverpool, transformed forever, in just six years. | A satellite survey by a research team at the University of Leicester (UofL) found that between 2006 and 2012, 22,000 hectares (54,ooo acres) of green space was converted to “artificial surfaces” – mostly housing. More than 7,000 hectares of forest was felled, 14,000 hectares of farmland concreted and 1,000 hectares of precious wetland was drained to make way for urban sprawl. That’s a landscape twice the size of Liverpool, transformed forever, in just six years. |
| The updated map is the fourth time the UK’s land use has been surveyed using the Corine European standard, which separates land use into 44 categories. Since the first map was created in 1990, UK urbanisation has continued at roughly the same rate, said study leader Professor Heiko Balzter, director of the Centre for Landscape and Climate Research at UofL. | The updated map is the fourth time the UK’s land use has been surveyed using the Corine European standard, which separates land use into 44 categories. Since the first map was created in 1990, UK urbanisation has continued at roughly the same rate, said study leader Professor Heiko Balzter, director of the Centre for Landscape and Climate Research at UofL. |
| “We have not seen any evidence of slowing down in the data we’ve looked at,” he said. The UK is desperately short of housing, and developers are looking to expand the cities in order to ease the crisis. “One of the big drivers of change is the demand for housing; in large parts of England and to a lesser degree elsewhere.” | “We have not seen any evidence of slowing down in the data we’ve looked at,” he said. The UK is desperately short of housing, and developers are looking to expand the cities in order to ease the crisis. “One of the big drivers of change is the demand for housing; in large parts of England and to a lesser degree elsewhere.” |
| The biggest change occurred around London’s outer fringe, where the countryside has been eaten up by advancing suburbs. Away from the capital, the advance was still apparent, in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset 2,039 hectares were lost to urbanisation. Across the UK, 225,200 hectares of land showed some form of land use change. This mostly came from the clear cutting of managed conifer forests – many of which will be replanted. | The biggest change occurred around London’s outer fringe, where the countryside has been eaten up by advancing suburbs. Away from the capital, the advance was still apparent, in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset 2,039 hectares were lost to urbanisation. Across the UK, 225,200 hectares of land showed some form of land use change. This mostly came from the clear cutting of managed conifer forests – many of which will be replanted. |
| The 2012 map, which took three years to compile from satellite data, shows the state of the UK’s green spaces at a pivotal point in their management. 2012 was also year the Coalition government introduced the national planning policy framework (NPPF). The reform managed to condense 1,300 pages of planning regulations into just 65, devolving decision making power to local authorities and charging them to favour “sustainable development”. | The 2012 map, which took three years to compile from satellite data, shows the state of the UK’s green spaces at a pivotal point in their management. 2012 was also year the Coalition government introduced the national planning policy framework (NPPF). The reform managed to condense 1,300 pages of planning regulations into just 65, devolving decision making power to local authorities and charging them to favour “sustainable development”. |
| Campaigners believe this has unlocked the countryside for developers. The sustainability clause makes it harder for councils and other groups to block developments, as long as they can meet loosely-defined green criteria. | Campaigners believe this has unlocked the countryside for developers. The sustainability clause makes it harder for councils and other groups to block developments, as long as they can meet loosely-defined green criteria. |
| A report by the Campaign for Rural England (CPRE) in March found that 219,000 houses are now planned for England’s green belt. This was an increase of 60,000 in August 2013. In London’s rural fringe, the number of houses with planning permission had tripled in the same time. A BBC investigation last month found the number of homes receiving permission in green belt areas of England had increased five-fold in five years. | A report by the Campaign for Rural England (CPRE) in March found that 219,000 houses are now planned for England’s green belt. This was an increase of 60,000 in August 2013. In London’s rural fringe, the number of houses with planning permission had tripled in the same time. A BBC investigation last month found the number of homes receiving permission in green belt areas of England had increased five-fold in five years. |
| “It would not surprise me if more development applications were being granted than in the past, due to the financial incentives for councils,” said Balzter. | “It would not surprise me if more development applications were being granted than in the past, due to the financial incentives for councils,” said Balzter. |
| “Since 2012, which is when the government’s national planning policy framework came into force, we have definitely detected an upsurge in the amount of housing development being permitted on greenfields sites,” said CPRE’s director of policy and campaigns Neil Sinden. He noted that some, but not all, of this increase could be due to the rebounding economy. | “Since 2012, which is when the government’s national planning policy framework came into force, we have definitely detected an upsurge in the amount of housing development being permitted on greenfields sites,” said CPRE’s director of policy and campaigns Neil Sinden. He noted that some, but not all, of this increase could be due to the rebounding economy. |
| Housing and planning minister Brandon Lewis said: “The government has maintained strong protections for the green belt, and we are committed to protecting our natural and historic environment - instead focusing on regenerating brownfield land and getting empty and redundant buildings back into productive use.” In October 2014, former planning minister Eric Pickles announced new planning guidance which would prioritise brownfield sites and protect “our precious green belt”. | Housing and planning minister Brandon Lewis said: “The government has maintained strong protections for the green belt, and we are committed to protecting our natural and historic environment - instead focusing on regenerating brownfield land and getting empty and redundant buildings back into productive use.” In October 2014, former planning minister Eric Pickles announced new planning guidance which would prioritise brownfield sites and protect “our precious green belt”. |
| “National planning policy is clear that local authorities should have regard to the character and beauty of the countryside,” said Lewis, adding that extra protections were in place for areas of outstanding natural beauty and national parks. | “National planning policy is clear that local authorities should have regard to the character and beauty of the countryside,” said Lewis, adding that extra protections were in place for areas of outstanding natural beauty and national parks. |
| A spokesman for the Local Government Association said: “Local authorities will always seek to prioritise brownfield land for development where possible but in many areas this will not be enough to deliver the homes their communities need. Getting local plans in place in consultation with local people is vital to ensuring homes are delivered where they are needed whilst protecting valuable countryside and delivering wider benefits to communities.” | A spokesman for the Local Government Association said: “Local authorities will always seek to prioritise brownfield land for development where possible but in many areas this will not be enough to deliver the homes their communities need. Getting local plans in place in consultation with local people is vital to ensuring homes are delivered where they are needed whilst protecting valuable countryside and delivering wider benefits to communities.” |
| Sinden said some of the recent changes were constructive, but the evidence indicated the department would need to do more. “The government can say that the priority is protecting the green belt till it’s blue in the face. But if it chooses not to do anything to stop the runaway increase in the rate of green belt development that we’ve seen in recent years then those assertions and commitments count for nothing.” | Sinden said some of the recent changes were constructive, but the evidence indicated the department would need to do more. “The government can say that the priority is protecting the green belt till it’s blue in the face. But if it chooses not to do anything to stop the runaway increase in the rate of green belt development that we’ve seen in recent years then those assertions and commitments count for nothing.” |
| Both Sinden and Balzter argue that the development of green space is tragically unneccesary. The CPRE estimates that there are one million brownfield (ex-industrial land) housing sites available to be built on across England. | |
| “It’s a good thing that we are building lots of homes, it’s not necessarily a good thing that we are building more and more of them on greenfield sites,” said Sinden. | “It’s a good thing that we are building lots of homes, it’s not necessarily a good thing that we are building more and more of them on greenfield sites,” said Sinden. |
| In 2011, the EU introduced targets for its members to reduce what it calls “land take” - the loss of land to development - to zero by 2050. The UK lost green spaces to urbanisation at a consistent rate for 22 years between 1990 and 2012. Given the erosion seems likely to have quickened, said Balzter, “how the UK at national level will meet the European target to stop ‘land take’ by 2050, is not clear at present”. | In 2011, the EU introduced targets for its members to reduce what it calls “land take” - the loss of land to development - to zero by 2050. The UK lost green spaces to urbanisation at a consistent rate for 22 years between 1990 and 2012. Given the erosion seems likely to have quickened, said Balzter, “how the UK at national level will meet the European target to stop ‘land take’ by 2050, is not clear at present”. |
| “Land is a non-renewable resource. There’s only a limited amount of land area. Once agricultural fields have been built on, there is no going back really. My main concern would be the long-term outlook for the UK. How much of our landscape do we want built up with housing, roads and railways and all that?” he asked. | “Land is a non-renewable resource. There’s only a limited amount of land area. Once agricultural fields have been built on, there is no going back really. My main concern would be the long-term outlook for the UK. How much of our landscape do we want built up with housing, roads and railways and all that?” he asked. |
| Sinden said that in the south east of England, the most densely-populated part of Europe’s most densely populated (large) country, the impact of the loss of green spaces was being felt particularly keenly. | Sinden said that in the south east of England, the most densely-populated part of Europe’s most densely populated (large) country, the impact of the loss of green spaces was being felt particularly keenly. |
| “It’s harder and harder within the south east to experience landscapes that have a predominantly rural character. That’s something that we think is vital to quality of life,” he said. | “It’s harder and harder within the south east to experience landscapes that have a predominantly rural character. That’s something that we think is vital to quality of life,” he said. |
| This article was amended on July 6 to say that the CPRE estimates that there are one million brownfield (ex-industrial land) housing sites, not one million hectares of brownfield land as first stated. |