[holding answer 12 March 2009]: Information on land taken in and out of the green belt is not held centrally. However, estimates on the total area of green belt land and the net change in that area for England are tabled as follows. These figures exclude the area of green belt land that was transferred to the New Forest National park in 2005. Figures are shown for each of the last 10 years for which data are available.
Area (hectares)1 Net annual change (hectares)2 1997 1,602,340 — 2003 1,624,280 3,657 2004 1,630,890 6,610 2006 1,631,830 470 2007 1,635,670 3,840 1 Excludes the area of green belt land transferred to the New Forest National park in 2005. 2 Compared with the previous year or an annual average where the interval exceeds one year. Source: Communities and Local Government Statistical Releases: Green Belt Statistics, England.