Green Belts

Synonyms

Green buffer; Green corridor; Green finger; Green strip; Green wedge

Definition

A green belt is a land use designation which severely restricts the development of land which is typically, but not exclusively, previously undeveloped. Their primary purpose is to prevent the expansion of existing or proposed settlements in a particular location. A green belt may encircle a settlement, as the name suggests, but can also take the form of a buffer, corridor, strip, or wedge.

Introduction

A green belt is a land use policy designation intended to severely restrict the development of typically undeveloped land and thereby to stop the unplanned or unmanaged expansion of existing or proposed settlements by preventing their encroachment onto such land. While the specific reasons for the use of green belts vary from one context to another, their general form, support, and criticism are reflected in almost all circumstances. This briefly summarizes the historical emergence of the concept...