London’s Green Belt

London’s metropolitan Green Belt is a designated area of open land around the capital that extends into the wider Southeast. It has an area of 5,085km, most of which sits outside the Greater London boundary. It is underpinned by planning policy in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which aims to prevent urban sprawl and to protect the countryside.

With recent revisions to the NPPF and new housing targets for London, the Mayor of London has commissioned a review of the Green Belt land which falls within Greater London. This will be used as part of the evidence base to inform the next London Plan.

This paper, written by the Research Unit, provides key information about London’s Green Belt, including its history, benefits and challenges, and the implications of potential policy developments.