in safeguarding the surrounding countryside from encroachment; prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another; preserve the setting and special character of villages, towns and historic cities; and assist in urban regeneration." The policy is subject to further review as part of the West of England Joint Spatial Plan, to be submitted to the UK government in 2018. In 2017, the Centre for Cities called for more houses to be built on the Bristol greenbelt, saying that it was the only way to address the housing crisis in the area. They noted that there were only space for 4,300 homes on brownfield land, whereas the three local councils in the region aim to build 85,000 over the next twenty years. References External links Interactive map of green belt land Green belts in the United Kingdom Avon (county) Environment of Bristol Environment of Somerset Environment of Gloucestershire