The fundamental functions for the belt are to prevent urban sprawl and the merging of the outlying areas surrounding the two cities by restricting development, in order to preserve the countryside; protect the environment from inappropriate urban growth; and maintain the individuality of settlements. While this is an overall definition provided by central government, local councils then refine the extents and can review these as required. The belt avoids major areas of population, thereby granting larger villages and towns more leeway with development within the confines of their boundaries. It however 'washes' over smaller settlements and hamlets, these smaller locales thus given very little scope for expansion except in exceptional cases, with any infrastructure plans being put to greater public scrutiny and stricter controls more likely to be levied on any permitted work.
Geography
Land area taken up by the belt is as of 2017. The belt completely overlaps the Nottingham built-up area as well as beyond. It is contained within these districts, and encloses the following local settlements:
Along with the above, small portions of green belt exist within both cities on their rural fringes. The Bolsover, Mansfield and North West Leicestershire districts border the belt, but do not contain any part of it.
History
The Green Belt was first considered in Derbyshire in 1955 for the immediate region between the cities. It took several years to define the boundaries to some accuracy after local and government consultation. It was adopted in April 1983 by central government, with a more specific local plan being adopted from September 1994. A matching 'Nottinghamshire Sketch Plan Green Belt' was first planned in Nottinghamshire from 1956, again taking several years to be fully realised, before being formally approved by government in July 1980, and locally in June 1989.
