Green belt policies protecting countryside around York and other cities need strengthening, according to the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

Neil Sinden, of the charity which today launched a green belt charter, said: "Green belts have been a highly valued and successful part of the planning system for more than 50 years.

"Following John Prescott's recent call for an 'urban renaissance', they are more important than ever. Yet there is mounting evidence that they are being undermined by growing pressure for development and misunderstanding as to their purposes."

Mr Sinden claimed vast areas of green belt land were being released for development.

"It is misleading to suggest, as this Government has done, that this is acceptable because the overall area of the green belt has grown in recent years."

He said: "What matters most is where the green belt is, not how much there is.

"If it continues to be relatively easy for local authorities to relax, or 'roll back', the inner boundary of the green belt close to the urban edge, then it fails to achieve one of its main purposes - to prevent urban sprawl.

Mr Sinden added: "We believe that the emphasis now should be on York's new unitary authority looking at how it can maximise the use of existing developed land and buildings within the green belt boundary."

He said redeveloping brownfield sites, such as the scheme under way at the former ABB carriageworks in Holgate Road, "could actually have a positive and beneficial effect on the quality of life of people living in York." Mr Sinden concluded: "To release greenfield land, either within or outside the green belt, would have a detrimental impact."

Ian Thomson, assistant director (planning and envrionment) at the City of York Council, said: "Generally, we are supportive of green belt policy.

"It's an important tool and it's quite clear that development that is inappropriate should only be considered where the applicant can demonstrate that there are very special reasons for it going in the green belt area."

Mr Thomson stated: "In our Local Plan, we are looking to provide development opportunities within the existing urban area, so the current emphasis on brownfield sites is something we are looking into very carefully.''

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