This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Green belts to be reviewed
11/08/2004
A new Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) on green belts is
to be prepared, following
research
showing both a high degree of support for green belts and a
need to strengthen and clarify the policy.
The Executive will now begin the process of preparing
the new SPP, supported by a Task Group and involving
consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. A draft SPP
is expected in spring 2005.
Communities Minister Margaret Curran said:
"Green Belts have played an important role in shaping
Scotland's cities and towns over the last 50 years.
"However, since policy was last reviewed in 1985, there
have been many changes in development pressures and how
green belts are used.
"They may serve a wider range of purposes than
originally envisaged, with increasing interest in issues
such as urban regeneration and sustainable transport.
"That's why we commissioned research to look at whether
green belts are still the best tool to use. The study
suggested three options: scrapping green belts, creating a
two-tier system of 'permanent' and 'fixed term' green
belts, or looking at improvements to the existing
system.
"Following this, we strongly believe scrapping them
would not be appropriate - they still have a key part to
play in the management of urban change.
"Nor do we believe that a two-tier system is necessarily
the best way forward - that is potentially confusing and
could undermine the protection that some green belt areas
currently enjoy.
"But there is a real need to refresh green belt policy,
and over the coming months we will take forward discussions
on how we can strengthen our green belts so that they
continue to play a key role in supporting our aspirations
for healthy and vibrant cities, towns and countryside and
protecting valued green space."
Findings from the research include:
* Green belts are perceived as important by the public
and found valuable by planners in shaping and managing
urban growth, but there are clearly differences of
understanding of the role of green belts by different
groups and across different parts of the country.
* Green belts are widely seen as a long term, even
permanent, form of protection from development, but the
reality in Scotland is that they have had much
re-designation and development.
* Green belts should be seen as a tool of long-term
planning, not just as a 'land bank' to meet future housing
needs, as some local authorities appear to view them
* There is a general expectation that today's green
belts will involve environmental and recreational
improvements such as parks or cycle paths, but this needs
to be better managed in practice.
* Concerns regarding 'leap-frogging' of green belts have
resulted in increasing diversity in the shape of belts with
green buffers, wedges or networks being viewed more
favourably.
* There is little hard evidence that green belts
contribute to town 'cramming', squeezing out urban green
space or suburban housing.
The research was based on a research project carried out
for the Scottish Executive by a team from Heriot-Watt
University and Robinson Associates.