Green Belt

The East Midlands Regional Planning Guidance sets out the need for a Nottingham/Derby Green Belt to serve the following purposes:

• Check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
• Prevent neighbouring towns from merging into each other;
• Assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;
• and Assist in urban regeneration.

A statutory Green Belt around Nottingham was first approved in principle in 1980 with the approval of the first County Structure Plan.  The detailed boundaries for the Green Belt were first set out in the adopted Nottingham Green Belt Local Plan adopted by the County Council in 1989.  

Following changes in national planning legislation, from 1990, Green Belt boundary revisions have been the responsibility of the Nottingham City Council, Ashfield District Council, Broxtowe Borough Council, Gedling Borough Council, Newark & Sherwood District Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council through their Local Plans and Local Plan reviews.  At present the Green Belt Local Plan is only operational in Gedling Borough but when the current Borough Local Pan review is adopted (scheduled for 2004), the Green Belt Local Plan will cease to be part of the Development Plan and become an historic document.

Within the Green Belt, there is a severe and permanent restriction of development apart from certain exceptions set out in national planning guidance and in local plans. Prospective developers are highly recommended to consult their District Council (or the City Council if in that Authority) before submitting a planning application for Development within the Green Belt.

Nottinghamshire Joint Structure Plan 2002

Local Plans