The fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their openness and their permanence. Green Belt serves five purposes: •to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas; •to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another; •to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; •to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and •to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.
