Issues Facing the South

Destruction of Countryside and Rural Communities

As a nation, our population is very much spread between cities, large towns, small towns, villages and hamlets. We have a rich tapestry of settlements throughout the country which in the past all had their own identity and community spirit. However, as cities expand relentlessly outwards, the green gaps of countryside that separate communities are destroyed forever and these thriving settlements are swallowed up into anonymous urban areas.

The "Green Belt"

There is a rather laughable proposal being talked about at the moment to "safeguard the green belt". The trouble is that in the case of some of the proposed "strategic development areas" (ie. new towns), the "green belt" around them will be as little as 180 metres (the length of two small football pitches). This is not a green belt – it’s a joke!

Much of the countryside that has been earmarked for development is beautiful, unspoilt rural scenery. It is also important to realise that this is prime agricultural land – potentially some of the finest in the world. Once there are houses on it, crops can never again be grown. Do we really want to find ourselves unable to feed ourselves as a nation should all imports be stopped for some reason?

© Save the South, 2007