Next steps in the Green Belt Campaign – Jan 2020

CPRE Hampshire have recently commissioned NEF (New Economics Foundation) Consulting to prepare a report on ‘Introducing a South Hampshire Green Belt – assessing the socioeconomic and environmental impact’.

NEF is a well renowned British think-tank that promotes social, economic and environmental justice, https://neweconomics.org/

We have asked them specifically to look at the quantitative data available to demonstrate if there is potential benefit for a Green Belt policy in the following areas:

1. Health and wellbeing
2. Quality of place
3. Recreation and leisure
4. Climate change adaptation and mitigation
5. Flood alleviation and water management
6. Land and biodiversity

They will be modelling quantifiable values (using proxy financial values) for these socioeconomic and environmental outcomes.

‘I would love to have a Green Belt in Hampshire and I agree that Strategic Gaps don’t work. I would love to see this resolved in the next one to two years and it is something that we are working towards at the moment.’

Cllr Woodward, Chair of the Partnership for South Hampshire

We were pleased to see a commitment in the Partnership for South Hampshire agenda papers for the meeting on 14th October 2019 for an additional workstream to evaluate: Green Infrastructure Needs and Consideration of Mechanisms on how to Achieve Green Belt Designation. We intend to share the result of the work with PfSH and its constituent authorities as soon as it is completed. Our CPRE Hampshire Report will help to make sure that we can demonstrate to South Hampshire Councillors why they should be focussed on keeping South Hampshire green by including the Green Belt policy into their Local Plans.