Petition urging Bucks Council to protect farmland and the green belt closes
A petition urging Buckinghamshire Council to protect green belt land and farmland across the county has concluded with 2,243 signatures.
Launched on May 7 through Buckinghamshire Council’s ePetition system, the petition called on the authority to “strengthen and uphold” policies protecting green belt land and “productive agricultural farmland.”
“Local farmland plays a vital role in food production, environmental sustainability, and maintaining the rural character of our community,” the petition stated.
“Its loss would be irreversible and would significantly impact biodiversity, landscape quality, and the wellbeing of residents.”
The petition also urges Bucks Council to ensure future development proposals are only supported where they are “appropriate, sustainable, and do not result in the unnecessary loss of valuable farmland.”
It adds that development should only proceed where infrastructure such as roads, schools, and healthcare services can adequately support it, and where environmental impacts have been fully and transparently assessed.
The petition also calls for stronger protection of the countryside for current and future generations.
Green Belt land is intended to prevent urban sprawl and protect countryside areas from excessive development.
It comes as Buckinghamshire faces pressure to accommodate around 95,000 new homes under Government housing targets, raising concerns among some residents about the impact on countryside and infrastructure.
The petition officially closed on June 4, having attracted 2,243 signatures from residents and supporters across the county.
Why Are Residents Concerned?
Many residents believe Buckinghamshire’s countryside is under increasing pressure from housing development. The county is expected to accommodate around 95,000 new homes in the coming years as part of Government housing targets.
Campaigners argue that while new homes are needed, development should not come at the expense of productive farmland and protected green belt land. They say the countryside provides important habitats for wildlife, helps support food production, and contributes to the character of Buckinghamshire’s towns and villages.
Some residents have also raised concerns that existing infrastructure, including roads, schools, GP surgeries, and public transport, is already under strain and may struggle to cope with significant population growth without major investment.
Bucks Council recently said that changes to planning policy emerging from central government could make it easier for developers to build homes.